Lost Potter
by SFBKludge
Summary: Minor DH Spoilers future chapters: The LOST POTTER FINALLY REVEALED! The Dursleys are dead and Dumbledore must scramble to find a way to preserve the Blood Magic protection. Ch22 Upload error
1. Chapter 1

_**Lost Potter**_

**Warning: Spoilers for Half Blood Prince and OTP.**

Most HBP spoilers are later in the story. The _Big_ OTP spoiler is right in the beginning.

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing. The Buffy and Harry Potter Characters belong to Wheedon and Rowling respectively. No money is being made from this. It's all for fun.

**Postings:** Fanfiction and Twisting the Hellmouth. You can post it wherever. Just let me know so I can come and visit sometime.

**Character Bashing:** Nothing really for the BTVS characters. Dumbeldore may seem OOC. But it's my impression of him from the books. You don't get as powerful as he is without being a lot more than a kindly old school master. If you don't relish the idea of my exploring his more ruthless side, this fic is not for you. All flames regarding him will be cheerfully ignored. (Because I did warn you up front.)

**Timeline:** **Timeline:** After Spike and Angel go looking for Buffy and find her with the Immortal. The HP stuff is set right at the end of OTP and picks up from there, and quickly goes fairly AU. (But what X over doesn't?)

**Story Setting: **The BTVS and HP universes are separate. So Giles or others will not be ex Hogwarts students. Popular fiction does not exist for each universe so the BTVS group wouldn't know who Harry was. And vice versa.

**Story Opens: **The Dursley's are enroute to pick Harry up from the train station as he completed his fifth year. (OTP)

Lost Potter

Prologue 

Dursley's 

"I can't believe we have to pick that God forsaken boy up from the train station yet again. It's bad enough that he will live with us. But this just adds insult to injury, having to go get him. Those blasted people can pick him up all the time. But we have to go get him." Vernon complained as he was driving his sensible and only semi pretentious car to pick up Harry.

Petunia nodded her head in agreement as she sat in the front seat with her husband.. "This is the end of his fifth year. We will only have to pick him up one more time, as he completes his sixth year. Once we get him out of the house for his seventh year he'll never come back. We'll be free of his freakish friends and their even more freakish ways."

Duddley was bouncing up and down in the back seat. (Which pleased Petunia to no end. It was the most exercise he'd gotten in weeks.) "Maybe if we're really lucky those freaks that want to kill him will take care of the little freak for us."

Vernon mumbled to himself. "We can only hope to get that lucky."

Petunia sounded outraged. "Duddley Dursley! What a thing to say about your own cousin. I may not like having him in our house. But there's no excuse for saying anything like that. You've been brought up to be a perfect gentleman and regardless of how you feel you should never say anything of the sort."

Duddley felt that his mothers objections were entirely for proprieties sake, since he couldn't even see his mother caring for the little orphan at all. Anyway he'd heard his father mumble something, and was sure he agreed with his statement, even though he wouldn't say it to his mothers face.

Vernon wanted to distract Petunia before she could work up and good head of steam. She was a devil about the proprieties regardless of how she felt. She might even send Duddykins to bed without desert, which might mean he wouldn't get some either. "Blasted traffic. It's getting so a nice respectable family can't get through to were your going anymore. It's taking forever to get to the station. If we have to go get the boy. I'd just as soon not have to deal with all of these bloody idiot drivers, and numbskull traffic coordinators. We've been caught by every traffic light since we left the house to get that blasted boy." Vernon fumed, almost forgetting that he'd started in on the traffic as a distraction in the first place.

Duddley shouted out. "That lights about to change on us to!" Duddley was trying to get his drivers license and had become an excellent backseat driver in his own opinion.

Normally Vernon wouldn't pay any attention to Duddleys suggestions. But he'd gotten so frustrated with Harry coming back. The god awful traffic conditions that he went against his better judgment and floored the accelerator. "Oh no it won't." Vernon said with a grimace on his face. He didn't even get to the intersection before the light finished changing as he raced through the red light.

Vernon didn't see the double decker bus until it was to late.

BTVS/HP,BTVS/HP,BTVS/HP,BTVS/HP,BTVS/HP,BTVS/HP,BTVS/HP,BTVS/HP,

AN1: Generally I don't like retreads of yet another BTVS lost relative. Most of the time they aren't written very well or even ignore their own premise when set in particular universes. But after reading a fairly decent lost relative story, I decided to pick away at this since I wanted the kind of Lost Potter relative story that wouldn't be (hopefully) yet another retread of a tired premise.

AN2: Don't expect much work on the Lost Potter until I have Countdown to Judgment Day finished. But I do have a few chapters done (along with an outline for the rest) since it was a pair of plot bunnies that started multiplying, until I took 'care' of them.

AN3: Eventually besides the Lost Potter, (No hints as to who it is.) There will be at least one other Scooby involved heavily. According to the outline it will be at least a wait of until chapter 15 until the non Lost Potter gets heavily involved. So there's time to make suggestions/votes on the extra character.


	2. There is Another

_**Lost Potter**_

**Warning: Spoilers for Half Blood Prince and OTP.**

Most HBP spoilers are later in the story. The _Big_ OTP spoiler is right in the beginning.

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing. The Buffy and Harry Potter Characters belong to Wheedon and Rowling respectively. No money is being made from this. It's all for fun.

**Postings:** Fanfiction and Twisting the Hellmouth. You can post it wherever. Just let me know so I can come and visit sometime.

**Character Bashing:** Nothing really for the BTVS characters. Dumbeldore may seem OOC. But it's my impression of him from the books. You don't get as powerful as he is without being a lot more than a kindly old school master. If you don't relish the idea of my exploring his more ruthless side, this fic is not for you. All flames regarding him will be cheerfully ignored. (Because I did warn you up front.)

**Timeline:** After Spike and Angel go looking for Buffy and find her with the Immortal. The HP stuff is set right at the end of OTP and picks up from there, and quickly goes fairly AU. (But what X over doesn't?)

**Story Setting: **The BTVS and HP universes are separate. So Giles or others will not be ex Hogwarts students. Popular fiction does not exist for each universe so the BTVS group wouldn't know who Harry was.

Lost Potter

Chapter One

There Is Another

Dumbeldore was in his office working on the paperwork that being in charge of a school entailed. He was so used to it though he could devote only a portion of his mind to the endless minutia while the rest dwelt on the loss of Sirius. _ The unfortunate losses at the Ministry will complicate my plans. Brining Harry's battle with Voldermort even further into question. It was unfortunate that he had to be told the prophecy. _

Dumbeldore was shaken from his musings by a knock at his door. "Come in." He said as he looked up from his seemingly endless paperwork.

Remus Lupin entered his office looking like he had news that was at once unpleasant yet enjoyable at the same time. "Albus we have a problem."

Concern knit Dumbeldore brow as he pondered what news Remus would have such conflicting feelings about. It was late for him to be returning from escorting Harry. "please sit down my old friend." As he gestured towards one of the chairs before his desk. "What could possibly be worrying you. Harry is home safe with the Dursleys. Where even Voldermort cannot touch him. He will be completely safe until we retrieve him to spend time at the Orders headquarters."

If possible the expression on Remus face grew even longer. "That's the problem Albus. The Dursleys never arrived at the station to pick Harry up."

Only someone intimately familiar with Dumbeldore could have told that he was most displeased with the news about the Dursleys. The only visible sign was a slight dimming of the twinkle in his eye. "I will have to speak most crossly with Petunia."

"That might be a problem." Remus commented under his breath. Dumbeldore simply looked at Remus with a tilt of his eyebrow encouraging him to continue. "When after an hours delay the Dursleys hadn't arrived . I left my post at Harry's side and _Apparated_ to the Dursleys home. No one was home. And their car was gone."

Dumbledores expression grew almost murderous. "I shall have to speak more than crossly with Petunia and her husband. Running away and refusing to take Harry in so the Family Bond Magic will fail will have to be dealt with.

"Albus I don't think they ran away. I used a _Portal Reviewus _to see what happened at their front door. A spell that wizarding world doors are proofed against but muggle doors wouldn't be. When they exited their house they were complaining about having to get Harry and having to house him for another summer. They weren't looking to abandon him. With that information I had Moody take Harry directly to Grimmauld place. While I used a number of contacts in the Ministry to find out what had happened. It's not public news yet, but that won't last for long."

Dumbeldore was truly getting annoyed with Remus dragging things out. "What news? What could be so important about a family of muggles that it would matter to the wizarding public?"

Remus gathered his courage and told Professor Dumbeldore outright. "The Dursleys died in a traffic accident enroute to pickup Harry. Once it wears completely off the Family Bond Magic will be useless since there are no remaining relatives."

Dumbeldore leaned back in his chair and started stroking his beard as he mused on the news of the Dursleys deaths. "This is most unfortunate. As if things weren't complicated enough, with Harry having lost Sirius." He muttered to himself. "Does Harry know?"

"Not yet. But it's only a matter of time." Remus replied as he looked down and shook his head. "What will we do. The Family Bond Magic provided by the Dursleys protects Harry to a good extent even while he lives here at Hogwarts. With them dead, Harry has no more relatives. He is the last of his family."

Dumbeldore replied. "No there is another."

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AN1: Evil I know. But this is to good of a cliff hanger to not use. The chapters will get longer but leaving everyone on tenterhooks is simply so much fun. :- 

The chapter title and DD's comment are taken as an homage, from a Kermit the Frog on speed.


	3. Compel

_**Lost Potter**_

**Warning: Spoilers for Half Blood Prince and OTP.**

Most HBP spoilers are later in the story. The _Big_ OTP spoiler is right in the beginning.

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing. The Buffy and Harry Potter Characters belong to Wheedon and Rowling respectively. No money is being made from this. It's all for fun.

**Postings:** Fanfiction and Twisting the Hellmouth. You can post it wherever. Just let me know so I can come and visit sometime.

**Character Bashing:** Nothing really for the BTVS characters. Dumbeldore may seem OOC. But it's my impression of him from the books. You don't get as powerful as he is without being a lot more than a kindly old school master. If you don't relish the idea of my exploring his more ruthless side, this fic is not for you. All flames regarding him will be cheerfully ignored. (Because I did warn you up front.)

**Timeline:** After Spike and Angel go looking for Buffy and find her with the Immortal. The HP stuff is set right at the end of OTP and picks up from there, and quickly goes fairly AU. (But what X over doesn't?)

**Story Setting: **The BTVS and HP universes are separate. So Giles or others will not be ex Hogwarts students. Popular fiction does not exist for each universe so the BTVS group wouldn't know who Harry was.

Lost Potter

Chapter Two

Compel

"Another? What do you mean Professor? Everyone knows that Harry has no other relatives." Remus was agog.

"Yes everyone knows." Dumbeldore chuckled. "Just like everyone knows that werewolves can't be trusted." Dumbeldore saw Remus acknowledge his point with a wince. " If you remember, James had an aunt who was presumed dead before he had even completed his second year."

"I vaguely remember something like that. James was a bit upset but he wasn't really saddened by it." But it's been so long, and it seemed so minor to our lives at the time I can't recall anything else about the circumstances." Remus said thoughtfully.

"It was reported as a fatal splinching accident. Not much was ever made about it. Since the aunt in question was little more than a squib. She would have never achieved a legal apparition license and it faded from memory. Especially since Voldermort was starting to rise in the publics notice as someone to worry about." The circumstances were quite different than what were reported."

"If she's alive then why didn't you place Harry with her, instead of those awful Dursleys?"

"My dear Remus. It wasn't that simple. The will itself specified that Harry would be in Petunias care, if other named relatives who were preferable and before her on the list were not available. It was a matter of law, I had no choice in the matter. As it was, Petunia was the only remaining relative that could be found. I never said that I knew where Harry's great aunt Melody had gone too. It would have been far to dangerous to search for her." (_Not to mention that she could have upset all my plans. But now I have no choice.) _Dumbeldore thought to himself.

"Then where is she? Could you please drop the mysterious all knowing old man act. And just get on with it. I know your smarter than just about everyone else. You don't need to drag it out by a blind question and answer session. I'm sorry that I seemed to do it to you. But you kept interrupting me before I could finish my explanation.." Remus frustration was rendering him much less polite than he usually would be with a wizard as powerful as Dumbeldore. Something he'd never normally do.

Dumbeldore smirked to himself inwardly at getting Lupin's goat yet again. "Harry's great aunt had tried to _Apparate _in an area that is dimensionally unstable and specifically posted against anyone performing apparition.. It was a freak occurrence like being hit by lightning. Combined with her less than qualified magical skills that had her slip uncontrollably into another dimension. Where she hopefully will still be alive."

"Another dimension? Only the most powerful and accomplished wizards can travel from one world to another." Remus was flabbergasted. "Why wasn't she searched for? She could have been trapped in some hell dimension." You could almost see the thoughts of torture running through his mind.

Dumbeldore shook his head. "It isn't as simple as you might think. Magic was used to pierce the dimensional barrier. And it was determined that she was happy with her new circumstances. So I made no effort to retrieve her at the time. Then Voldermort started his rise and there simply wasn't the time to go fetch her. And I'm sorry to say it. But she slipped my mind. It's been a curiosity bump I've wanted to scratch for some time. But never had the time to deal with it., and now we have no choice. We must bring her or at least any children she's had back with us."

"You yourself said she was happy. What if she or her children are content where they are and don't wish to come with us? What will you do then. Send Harry to live with them, away from the Order?"

"We have no choice in the matter. And neither do they. We will attempt to convince Melody or one of her children. _(If she has had any.) _Dumbeldore thought. To come with us voluntarily. But if it comes to it. For Harry's safety and the safety of the Wizarding world we will have to compel them to accompany us.

BTVS/HP,BTVS/HP,BTVS/HP,BTVS/HP,BTVS/HP,BTVS/HP,BTVS/HP,BTVS/HP,

AN: Yet another short cliffhanger chapter. But this will be to good of a stopping point to ignore.

Any ideas on who could be the Lost Potter? (Here's a bit of a hint. It's a Scooby.) True it ain't much of a hint. But there it is. :-/ I'm still open for suggestions on who will be the Scooby that hangs with the Lost Potter. The one who gets the most votes (who isn't the LP,) will be picked by you the readers.

I'm going to publish a chapter of Countdown to Judgment Day every week. And alternate each week doing a chapter of either Scooby meets the Scoobies or Lost Potter. I may take a break from those stories and finish working on the sequel to Bionic Summers for a week or two's break. While I put the new Bionic story up.

I'm putting next weeks up early so everyone can have a New Years surprise.


	4. Dangers

**Warning: Spoilers for Half Blood Prince and OTP.**

Most HBP spoilers are later in the story. The _Big_ OTP spoiler is right in this ver chapter.

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing. The Buffy and Harry Potter Characters belong to Whedon and Rowling respectively. No money is being made from this. It's all for fun.

**Postings:** Fanfiction and Twisting the Hellmouth. You can post it wherever. Just let me know so I can come and visit sometime.

**Character Bashing:** Nothing really for the BTVS characters. Dumbeldore may seem OOC. But it's my impression of him from the books. You don't get as powerful as he is without being a lot more than a kindly old school master. If you don't relish the idea of my exploring his more ruthless side, this fic is not for you. All flames regarding him will be cheerfully ignored. (Because I did warn you up front.)

**Timeline:** After Spike and Angel go looking for Buffy and find her with the Immortal. The HP stuff is set right at the end of OTP and picks up from there, and quickly goes fairly AU. (But what X over doesn't?)

**Lost Potter**

**Chapter Three**

**Dangers**

-Dumbeldore's Office-

A few hours after Dumbeldore revealed the existence of Harry's great aunt Melody to Remus.

"Why didn't we have this meeting at the Orders Headquarters? Remus voiced the question that was on everyone's mind. Dumbeldore was always careful to keep the Orders business as far away from the school as possible.

"With the death of Sirius in the department of mystery's headquarters is no longer safe for us to use." Dumbeldore replied as he looked around at the gathering. Other than Shacklebolt who wouldn't be attending and Arthur and Molly who should arrive momentarily the whole order was gathered for possibly the first and last time until Voldermorts defeat was arranged.

"Professor was it necessary to bring everyone here to your office. Things are a bit camped you know." Snape sounded as snide as ever.

"Severius this meeting is vitally important. It could change irrevocably our war with Voldermort." Dumbeldore inwardly chuckled at the gathered wizards visceral shudder at the name. It was one of his greatest sources of amusement. He turned his head as Arthur and Molly Weasley came through the floo. "Good day Arthur and Molly. Now that you've arrived I'll bring everyone up to date. Please no outbursts or questions until I am finished. We have limited time." Dumbeldore watched the mixture of trepidation and curiosity fill the faces of his audience.

Dumbeldore dropped most of his kindly old man routine as he started speaking. "For those who don't know, the Dursleys have been reported to have died in an automobile accident on their way to pick up Harry at the train station. Without Harry living in the domicile of a relative the Blood Magic Protections that have protected Harry will fade away to nothing, making him even more vulnerable to Voldermort and his Death Eaters. He could see the explosion of questions coming and simply raised his hand in a stop motion. "Please let me finish. The following is something only Remus among you knows. There _is_ a Lost Potter, Harry's great aunt Melody didn't die in a freak splinching accident. She actually slipped into another dimension. What we who are gathered here must ascertain is who will accompany me to retrieve her and bring her back so that she can provide the blood link that will extend the protection for Harry and consequently help save us all. Now I will entertain a few questions. Remus I've already answered yours so please let everyone else speak."

There was a general furor until Dumbeldore imposed order and said that he would indicate who would speak next. "You can't be serious Headmaster." Snape was beside himself with out rage.

"I am indeed serious. The Blood Protection magic is quickly fading away to nothingness. It's almost absolute protection when he was at the Dursleys protected him greatly during the time he spent away from his home. Why do you think most of Voldermorts attack occurred late in the school year. It was when the protective aspects of the magic were at their weakest. If we don't get Harry within range of a relative soon. The magic's protection will be permanently broken. The only truly grievous problem is that the protections are strongest with a blood relative of Lily's. With the magic going through Harry to gain access as it were to the Potter bloodline it will bound to be weaker than if Melody was another Evans. The more distant the relationship the weaker the protections will be. Either they may take a longer period to recharge or they might provide a weaker level of protection needing to be renewed more often or a combination of the two." Dumbeldore then nodded to Arthur and Molly to speak.

"Are you sure Melody Potter is still alive?"

"No I'm not sure. It's been years and the magic I used was difficult and time consuming to cast. At the time I was content to let things be. Now we have no choice. We must get Melody Potter, or one or more of her possible children to come back with us to care for Harry and strengthen the magic's."

"Albus traversing dimensional planes is extremely dangerous. Is there no other alternative?" McGonagall couldn't wait to be motioned to speak so she butted in.

Dumbeldore was amused by his old friends misplaced concern for his welfare. "Minerva I traversed the dimensional barriers many times when I was younger. I daresay I could still do it at need."

The question and answer session went on for hours into the depths of the night.

-Next morning:-

"Master, I have news Master." Pettigrew said as he knocked on the door to the Dark Lords chambers.

Voldermorts voice responded to his minions. "Enter."

Wormtail opened the door keeping his head bowed as he went to his groveling spot before Voldermorts dark throne. "My Lord we have received a report from Severius.. He says that there was a large gathering in Dumbeldore's office that went on for hours. From what he reported it seems that the last of Potters relatives are dead."

"Hum this could be very useful. Continue with your report."

-Meanwhile.-

Minerva McGonagall and Headmaster Dumbeldore were exiting the great hall. "Albus are you sure this is safe?"

"My dear Minerva, when have we been safe over the past five years? It may not be safe but it is necessary." Dumbeldore was starting to get annoyed by Minerva's mother henning of him. After all he was old enough to be her father. Not the other way around.

"Have you gotten permission from the Ministry to cast your plane walking spell?" Minerva asked him and he simply nodded his head no. "Then tell me why you have to cast your plane walking spell there of all places?" Surely you could cast it in a more inconspicuous place that isn't monitored by the Ministry? Stonehenge is simply to public a place for such great magic's. You could get charged with violating the secrecy acts."

"Don't worry. There are enough unobtrusiveness spells on me and the others to keep any curious muggles from seeing what happens. I will even be using my own invisibility protection to help keep me in the background." He reassured his long time friend once again.. "I need to cross the dimensional borders at that location. It will greatly simplify the process of getting to the same world that Melody traveled to. I could do it elsewhere. But the drain in magic's would be greater and I might have need of as much of my power as I can carry across. Now please don't worry. We went through all of this last night. There's no need to go through it again."

"I guess I'm just a teensy bit jealous about whose going. I've never traveled to another world. But I've always been fascinated with the idea." Minerva sounded rueful of her desires to travel.

Dumbeldore stopped and reached out to her. "Minerva after the war is won, I promise you a chance to do what you've always dreamed of. For now simply wish me luck."

BTVS/HP,BTVS/HP,BTVS/HP,BTVS/HP,BTVS/HP,BTVS/HP,BTVS/HP,BTVS/HP,

Don't worry the BTVS crew will start showing up in the next chapter.

But who do you think will go with DD? I have at least one definite person and a couple possible. (Kingsley and Minerva are set no's. I need them for other later parts of the story.) Lets here from the peanut gallery and I may be able to stick a couple of them in. There will probably be no more than five (including DD) going.

Authors Comments:

I want to thank IntoOblivion for correcting my Blood relative bit. Since I needed an Evans, but I choose a Potter. I added some dialog in this chapter to explain how it works. And as a way to CYA.

There was a comment on how it's obvious that the Lost Potter would have to be Willow or Xander since it was assumed that only a Sunnydale native could be a relative. But I never planned for the crossover to have been at the Hellmouth. Considering it is England, Stonehenge always made much more sense to me.

There will be many more clues as the story goes on. But it won't be for a number of chapters until I finally reveal who the LP is. (I like to keep ppl guessing, but I'm evil that way.)


	5. Scooby Time

**Warning: Spoilers for Half Blood Prince and OTP.**

Most HBP spoilers are later in the story. The _Big_ OTP spoiler is right in the beginning.

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing. The Buffy and Harry Potter Characters belong to Wheedon and Rowling respectively. No money is being made from this. It's all for fun.

**Postings:** Fanfiction and Twisting the Hellmouth. You can post it wherever. Just let me know so I can come and visit sometime.

Character Notes and Timeline are listed in first three chapters.

Lost Potter

Chapter Four

Scooby Time

Xander and Willow were waiting at the London airport for Buffy to clear customs. "It'll be good to have us all back together again." he one eyed carpenter observed to his redheaded best friend.

"It's only been a few months. Buffy wanted to take herself out of the Slaying scene for awhile. She deserved to go on a long vacation. It's not like we haven't heard from her or Dawn a lot. Now it's time for Buffy to take a more active role in the New Council of Slayers." Willow observed Xander's peering into the crowd. "You know it'll be impossible to spot her. Unless we have a sudden influx of Hobbits, Buffy will never stand out above the crowd." Willow had been feeling particularly snarky lately.

Xander chuckled. "Will that was mean. True but mean, anyway I was looking for the not so little sister."

A familiar voice shouted out from the crowd. "Hey guys over here!" Dawn was waving her hand and lugging a big old carry on behind her, as she charged up a hugged both of her friends.

Xander wrapped his arms around her and held Dawn tight. "Hiya Dawn Patrol. Where's your sis?"

Dawn grimaced. "Still dealing with Customs. Somebody didn't get the word that people with Council clearance are supposed to be waved though. And some Snyder look-alike is trying to be a hard ass with this strange blonde girl. And Buffy can't resist winding him up."

Xander mused quietly to himself. "I think I saw the customs guy your talking about last time I went through it myself. He really does look a lot like the principle with an Emu up his but."

More like a whole flock, thought Dawn to herself.

Willow chuckled knowingly. "Buffy simply had to make the problem worse didn't she."

Smirking Dawn responded to Willow's question. "How in the world could you predict that my sister would make a problem worse trying to deal with it herself instead of waving in somebody with more authority. Sometimes she should just drop the blonde act that she does so well. Speak of the devil, and there she is." As she motioned Xander and Willow towards the scene of a high ranking official figuratively on his hands and knees apologizing for the inconvenience, to the Slayer in question.

Buffy wasn't facing the official in such a way that any of the friends could try to read her lips. But her gestures were eloquent enough as the officials face went so pale you could see the difference in his coloring even a couple hundred feet away. Buffy then turned away from the official and towards her friends and started walking towards them. They lost her momentarily in the crowd until she stepped out of it right in front of them with a huge smile on her face. "Hi guys, how you doing?" As she tried wrapping both of her dearest friends in a hug.

Willow and Xander tensed a bit at Buffy's hug but relaxed almost immediately. They had been annoyed with Buffy's insistence on a prolonged vacation for her and Dawn while the rest of them were working themselves to a frazzle trying to get the new council set up. Buffy picked up her friends tense response to her hug, and it did hurt but she understood how they felt. She was sure that it was something they could get past soon enough. So Buffy let them go trying (and not completely successfully), to keep the disappointed look off of her face.

Dawn wanted to lance the feelings between her sister and her two best friends before they'd have even more time to fester, so she put on her perky act. "You guys ready for Buffy to take up more than an advisory role in the new Council? With her spending so much well deserved time away after eight years of front line service it must be a change in the way you'll operate."

The three friends exchanged a look. Each knowing that it wouldn't be as easy as Dawn thought. But knowing that things would eventually smooth out between them.

Xander spoke to Dawn with more vehemence than he meant to. "And just what did you think Willow and I were doing? We were there to, but you didn't see us going for a nearly year long vacation." Willow didn't exactly like the way Xander responded to Dawns false perkiness. But she couldn't object to his sentiments.

Dawn was more incensed by Xander's reply than Buffy and she got her retort off first. "Yes you were, no one is disputing that in the least. God if anyone ever did just point them out to me so I can see what the textbook picture of a complete moron actually looks like in real life. But there is a difference, you two volunteered for it. Even if you felt like you couldn't, you could have always walked away from the fight. Buffy was drafted. She didn't have a choice. That's the difference. We both needed time to get our heads on straight. We knew with you two, Giles and Faith the new Council didn't really need us while you were trying to rebuild it. So we took some desperately needed down time for our selves."

Buffy was never prouder of her little sister, than now and she put a comforting hand on Dawns arm before she spoke. "Willow Xander I really do want things to be good with all of us. And we can have it all out later on. Lets just not do it in public where we'll scare the straights." Buffy said with a lop sided smile.

Xander and Willow both admitted privately to themselves that Dawn had a point. Not as good as she might think. But a point none the less.

Willow's heart is almost as big as Xander's and she responded to Dawn and Buffy's plea before he did. "Your both right. And we do need to keep this discussion away from the '_straights'_. " Willow's voice nearly broke with her straights comment. "But I think you both know we do have reason to be miffed. Shall we say. Giles is really looking forward to having you back. We all are. Things might be a bit stained. But we do love you. Were a big family and families can have disagreements and even arguments without loving each other any the less."

Buffy smiled at Willow's words. "I'll listen to your complaints after we get settled in back at headquarters. Something I want to know first though, is where is Giles? I really expected to see him here."

Willow and Xander looked like they were little kids caught with their hands in the cookie jar. "Uhhh he had something come up and couldn't make it." Xander explained, knowing it would be a rather unsatisfying answer for Buffy.

BTVS/HP,BTVS/HP,BTVS/HP,BTVS/HP,BTVS/HP,BTVS/HP,BTVS/HP,BTVS/HP,

I could have easily had things turn into a verbal brawl but that's not the tone I wanted. So Buffy stayed out of the conversation mostly. Don't worry she'll be more active in the coming chapters before the HP crew gets really involved again.


	6. Scoobies Assemble

**Warning: Spoilers for Half Blood Prince and OTP.**

Most HBP spoilers are later in the story. The _Big_ OTP spoiler is right in the beginning.

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing. The Buffy and Harry Potter Characters belong to Wheedon and Rowling respectively. No money is being made from this. It's all for fun.

**Postings:** Fanfiction and Twisting the Hellmouth. You can post it wherever. Just let me know so I can come and visit sometime.

Character Notes and Timeline are listed in first three chapters.

Lost Potter

Chapter Five

Scoobies Assemble

The luxury taxi ride had been uncomfortable, with Willow and Xander ducking Buffy and Dawn's questions on Giles whereabouts. And they were all glad at being able to get out of the taxi's confines as they climbed out of the taxi. Buffy was shaking her head and was saying. "Whew I'm glad you guys convinced me that renting a car would be a bad idea. I forgot what traffic in midtown London is like."

Dawn simply couldn't help but tease her sister. "More like they wanted to save London traffic from your driving."

Buffy frowned and Willow and Xander laughed at Dawns teasing. "Zing! And the Dawnster hit's the bull's-eye. Xander was wearing one of his patented goofy grins showing that he was only teasing and didn't mean to be taken seriously.

"Hey my driving isn't that bad!" Buffy protested with false indignation.

"Sure Buffy your driving isn't that bad." Willow was trying to console her old friend as she patted her arm gently. They may have their differences, but she did still care for Buffy.

Dawn grabbed her bag and shouted over her shoulder, as she ran into the council building. "Actually it's worse, but the English language simply can't express how bad her driving really is." Dawn laughed as she saw the look of sisterly mayhem on Buffy's face, and Xander and Willow trying to avoid busting a gut.

"I'm sooooo going to slay her." Buffy snarled in a playful tone.

"Only after the G-man has a chance to see her. It's been to long since we had you and Dawn around Buff. So lets try to enjoy it for a bit before we get down to the in fighting." Xander teased her.

Buffy sighed. "Ok she gets off this once. But only this one time, I do reserve the big sisterly right to terrorize her later on. My driving has really improved since we moved away from Sunnydale. It must have been the Hellmouth that caused me so much trouble. Switching the subject though, where's Giles? I figured some last minute Council business had kept him from picking me up. But I really did hope for him to be at least waiting here for me since he wasn't at the airport."

"Itwasn'tCouncilbusinessthatkepthimawayBuffy.

Somethingdidcomeup,butit'snotanythingbad.

Onthecontrary,what'skepthimawayissomethingthat'sverygood.

Weweregoingtosurpriseyouwithitwhenyougotsettledin.ButtherewasanearlyopeninginthescheduleandGileswasasked

tocomeinearlyandIbetterstopnoworGileswillneverforgivemeforspoilinghissurprisesoI'm shuttingupnow."

( Babble translation) _It wasn't Council business that kept him away Buffy. Something did come up, but it's not anything bad. On the contrary, what's kept him away is something that's very good. We were going to surprise you with it when you got settled in. But there was an early opening in the schedule and Giles was asked to come in early and I better stop now or Giles will never forgive me for spoiling his surprise, so I'm shutting up now._

Buffy smiled at her redheaded friends descent into babble mode. "Breath Willow breath." She looked over at Xander. "Did I understand her right? My babble translation skills have never been that good. But did she just say that Giles got an early appointment and that it was a good surprise?"

"Ahh my young Padawan learner. Your training is nearly complete. Soon you will be tested on your babble skills and be promoted to a full babble knight." Xander was pleased by his little joke at Buffy's and Willow's expense. Until he started getting a little nervous when he saw Buffy was suddenly thinking about knocking his block off.

"Alexander Lavelle Harris, (Xander cringed at his full name, he knew he was in for it now). I've more than had my fill of Star Wars and other geek stuff. I've had Andrew living at my place for awhile now, and if I hear one more thing about Jedi. I won't be responsible for whatever acts of murder I may commit." Buffy was giving Xander her best death glare. A glare that had cowed more than one unruly vamp into letting himself be staked, to avoid all the pain it promised.

Willow wanted to calm things down quickly, after all she'd had more than enough of Andrew herself. "That was totally uncalled for Xander. You know that people exposed to Andrew for prolonged periods of time need time to get the uber geek ick out of their system without being exposed to more of it by their friends. Now you apologize to Buffy mister. Or I'll do the uber witch routine on you." Willow gave him her determined face.

Xander hung his head, (but only semi apologetically.) "I'm really sorry Buffy. I don't know what came over me,. I should know better, but I just forgot, you'd had Andrew for an extended house guest."

"Your forgiven, just don't do it again. Now lets go in there and see what trouble Dawn has already gotten into. After all, it is Tuesday." Buffy was heartened by the good natured teasing that had been going back and forth between them. Maybe things would be as good as they used to be before the dark times. "Any idea when Giles will be back? After all since it's Tuesday we'll need him to research the next big threat to Dawn."

Xander and Willow laughed at Buffy's teasing of her younger sister. "Buffy that was terrible. You should be ashamed of yourself." Willow leaned in closer and whispered to Buffy. "But only a little bit." Xander smirked at the by play between old friends. He had his suspicion's about what Willow was whispering when he heard Buffy laugh.

Xander enjoyed seeing Buffy laugh. It had been a long time since he'd last heard an honest laugh from her, then he checked his watch. "Giles should be back in about an hour or so. The exact time is a bit up in the air. But it shouldn't be much longer than that."

"Ok let's get my stuff to the room set aside for me and I'll be good to go, and terrorize Dawn or any of the potentials you might name. Until Giles gets back from wherever he's run off to."

-Meanwhile-

Just outside Stonehenge a few dimensions over.

"Severus did you get the blood sample's from Poppy that we'll need?"

Snape seemed even more indignant than usual. "Of course Headmaster, I have the sample's of Harry's blood. With them we'll be able to track down anyone else that shares even the slightest trace of blood with him." I'd love to use these for my own reasons. But the old fool has them carefully hidden away and accounted for at all times. Severus thought to himself.

Dumbeldore then looked over the gathered group. "Any last minute second thoughts? There's still time for anyone to back out now, without repercussions. Once we start it will be to dangerous for any of you to jeopardize our mission with your reservations." There better not be Dumbeldore thought to himself. I've worked to hard to prepare this group to follow my orders without questioning me at inconvenient times. So they better not start now.

BTVS/HP, BTVS/HP, BTVS/HP, BTVS/HP, BTVS/HP, BTVS/HP, BTVS/HP,


	7. Nice Surpise pt1

**Warning: Spoilers for Half Blood Prince and OTP.**

Most HBP spoilers are later in the story. The _Big_ OTP spoiler is right in the beginning.

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing. The Buffy and Harry Potter Characters belong to Whedon and Rowling respectively. No money is being made from this. It's all for fun.

**Postings:** Fanfiction and Twisting the Hellmouth. You can post it wherever. Just let me know so I can come and visit sometime.

Character Notes and Timeline are listed in first three chapters.

Lost Potter

Chapter Six

Nice Surprise

-A couple hours later-

In the briefing room next to Giles office Buffy Dawn Willow Xander had assembled to await his imminent return. They waited on either side of the conference table that was eerily similar to the table in the old library. "C'mon guys, at least give me a hint!"

They'd spent the past couple of hours talking and had worked most of their problems out. But Willow couldn't resist a small jab, and in her best Joyce mother of god voice. "Consider this part of your punishment young lady. Your going to continue being deprived of your treats until you shape up and get your work done." Willow then ruined the effect of the speech by sticking her tongue out, like a ten year old. (Or at least Dawn.)

"Like Will's said. You'll just have to take your punishment and not complain. So be a good little Slayer and wait until your called on."

"Xander making like a cross between Snyder and Wesley is NOT a way to get on my good side while I'm feeling frustrated." Buffy explained.

"I'll say, you wouldn't believe how nervous she gets flying. You'd think she had a fear of heights. Then that little Snyder look-alike was more than any sane person should have to deal with. I'm simply glad the real one was eaten by the mayor before I went to high school. I was having traumatic flashbacks, and I wasn't even around then." Dawn mock shuddered at the thought.

Before anyone could comment Giles unexpectedly walked through the door to his office. "Buffy, Dawn it's good to see you again, it's been far far to long." Giles didn't get in another word before being hit by the twin Summer tornadoes, as they hugged the breath out of him. Giles wheezed out, "Breath is becoming an issue, could you please not squeeze so hard." Buffy instantly relaxed her grip, without releasing her hold on Giles. "Dawn I meant you as well, I'm not as young as I used to be."

All the youngsters including Dawn and Giles himself laughed at the old wise crack. "Giles your only as old as you think you are, I've had boyfriends older than you." Buffy joked with him good naturedly.

Giles harrumphed, he didn't even want to be remotely connected to Angel and Spike. "Be that as it may, I'm only mortal. And it's not the years it's the mileage, my dear girl. I'm sorry I couldn't meet you at the airport like I wanted to. But something unexpected came up."

"Ok now spill. Willow babble clued me in that you had some kind of surprise for me. But then those two decided to clam up, saying it was your surprise, and they would get in trouble for spilling the beans." Buffy had a horrifying thought. "Are you getting married? I don't want a figurative step mother. Not that that's bad necessarily but…."

At the look of horror crossing on Buffy and Dawns faces, Willow and Xander started laughing like maniacs while Giles took his glasses off and started polishing them. "Dear Lord I don't know where that came from,. But I am most definitely NOT getting married. Now if you would give me a moment so I can sit down I'll be happy to tell you." While he spoke Giles settled down into his chair at the head of the table.

Xander managed to catch his breath first, while Willow was still giggling. "Buffy that was priceless. The look on your faces made me wish I'd had a camera, to capture the moment. And that includes you G-man, talk about looking pole axed. I've seen you less flustered after your latest concussion."

Giles sighed and muttered to himself. "I'm not going to say it again. Every time I do it only encourages him to use that infernal nickname again." After composing himself he turned towards Buffy and Dawn who sat to his left. "I am going to reiterate, I am not getting married and I haven't even had time to pursue a relationship since I've been so busy rebuilding the Council." Giles continued on before anyone could interrupt him. "In some ways it would have helped to have you around. But in others it was actually easier with you gone. And before you say anything, that is not any sort of disparaging remark. I may have disagreed with the length of your vacation, but I fully endorsed your need for a prolonged session of rest and recreation. If anyone ever has earned a prolonged rest, you have more than earned it."

The four youngsters exchanged looks. Giles had always been able to get their attention and cut through the superfluous arguments with only a few choice words, and it looked like he'd done it once again. He'd acknowledged that everyone had, had a point without casting any form of blame.

Dawn decided to head off any resumption of useless arguments and jokes and went right to the heart of the matter. "So just what kind of surprise do you have for Buffy?"

Giles was looking rather mischievous. "Well it is a surprise. And she has been naughty keeping the youngest of us, away from me…" He trailed off attempting to drag out the teasing.

"Keep it up and I'll skip the surprise and run back to Rome again for another year or so. So make with the splainy. Buffy mock threatened.

Mock horror at Buffy's language crossed Giles face. "Well when you put it that way I guess I had better get to explaining just where I was and what I was doing."

Meanwhile

Voldemort's Lair

Lucius Malfoy approached the Dark Lords throne, and bowed as he spoke. "There has been some sort of disturbance at Stonehenge, master. The ministry has assembled a large group of Aurors to investigate. It is suspected that Dumbledore is behind the disturbance, but that has not been confirmed.

Voldemort leaned back further into the shadows of his throne and mused aloud. "Things are proceeding as I have foreseen." (AN1)

BTVS,HP BTVS/HP, BTVS/HP, BTVS/HP,

And with that I'll leave you hanging yet again. Any guesses on what Giles has been up to?

(AN1): Hey if your going to steal. You might as well steal from a real politician. ;-


	8. Nice Surprise pt2

**Warning: Spoilers for Half Blood Prince and OTP.**

Most HBP spoilers are later in the story. The _Big_ OTP spoiler is right in the beginning.

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing. The Buffy and Harry Potter Characters belong to Whedon and Rowling respectively. No money is being made from this. It's all for fun.

**Postings:** Fanfiction and Twisting the Hellmouth. You can post it wherever. Just let me know so I can come and visit sometime.

Character Notes and Timeline are listed in first three chapters.

Lost Potter

Chapter Seven

Giles Surprise

Mock horror at Buffy's language crossed Giles face. "Well when you put it that way I guess I had better get to explaining just where I was and what I was doing."

"When we associated with the Initiative they started a number of files on all of us." Giles preempted Buffy's eruption by raising his hand in a wait signal and hurrying on with his explanation. "Yes most of the information was blacked out, we were not lied to. Only people with Secret security clearance can even get the heavily edited files, which basically say if it's weird to get out of our way, and never to mention our presence to a single soul. And only a small handful of people have the security clearance to gain access to the unexpurgated files." Giles saw Buffy was getting even more impatient. "I am getting to the point. Please let me finish telling you the background of the situation before you fly off the handle. If it will calm you Willow and Xander reacted almost identically to how you appear to be reacting, but they're calm about it now."

"With the activation of the potentials more attention has been drawn to the 'nightlife' as you insist on calling it than would be normal. So the American government has been obliged to provide intelligence about these unusual happenings to a broader audience than normal. Which brought all of our files to the attention of the British government than those traditionally aware of some of the councils business. Eventually the stories of what you have all done had been passed up the chain of command until they were brought to the notice of the Queen. After requesting my presence to confirm or deny the information given to her. Her majesty has declared that you and the rest of us would be recognized for Gallantry above and beyond the call of duty." Giles saw the look in Buffy's eye's., and went over to hug her. "Your sacrifices and tribulations have not been unmarked. And now you above all others will receive Her Majesties thanks. Not only on her part, but in recognition of what the world owes all of you wonderful brave people. And I mean for that to include all of you." Giles said as he caught the eye's of those surrounding him and Buffy. "You have done things beyond imaging. Those who know of your deeds are in awe of what you have all accomplished. And now at long last you will be seen for the outstanding hero's you are."

The youngsters fidgeted under Giles gaze at the open praise of what they've done. Xander protested first. "We aren't hero's. All we've ever done is try to keep the world safe. Anyone else would have done the same thing."

Giles just shock his head. "That's where your wrong. Many people knew about what was happening, but they wouldn't get involved. The three of you have saved the world nearly a dozen times right off the top of my head. If anyone ever deserved recognition it is the lot of you. I have been blessed by your trust and friendship and I am humbled. The Queen herself wants to see all of you, as soon as we can practically arrange."

-A few hours later-

Stonehenge (This reality)

A rip in the fabric of space time opened up and out spewed some of the most oddly dressed people to have graced Stonehenge in centuries. Dumbledore had let his followers lead the way and as he stepped casually from the rip it closed behind him with nary a sound. "Is everyone alright? I warned you the first step was rather more exciting than the first time you ever used the floo."

Snape was looking paler (if that's possible) than usual. "You used to do this regularly?"

Dumbledore merely twinkled at him. "Yes, I rather enjoyed it." Severus Snape, Alastor Moody, Remus Lupin, and Fletcher Mundungus looked at him as if he were crazed.

"I know I told you before, but I felt I needed to remind you again. In this dimension your magic could be unpredictable. The more complex the spell, the more likely it is for it to go wrong. Each of you are used to living by your wits and cunning, which is why I selected you for this mission. So use your wits first and save your magic as a last resort. For now let me coach you on how to cast in this new world."

-A few dimensions over-

Hogwarts Deputy Headmistress Office

"Professor McGonagall are you convinced that the Headmasters plan is for the best?"

"Mr. Shacklebolt it's a bit late to be having doubts about the Headmasters plans now."

"This is such a desperate chance. With Dumbledore present it seemed so much more possible. Is it even worth the risk of going to fetch a relative from another world for whatever level of protections it would afford Harry? Plane travel is simply to dangerous for casual use, so there is no way we could send Harry to one of his relatives. What if no one believes Dumbledore when he describes Harry's plight, or even more straight forward, they simply wont leave the world they are living in. After all why should they sacrifice for someone they don't even know." Kingsley seemed to be sinking into a depression.

McGonagall moved over and placed her hand on his shoulder. "Albus covered all of those possibilities during the meeting. Trust in him now, he knows what he's doing. "

"It's just on reflection that he was just to optimistic on things working out. Like he was simply glossing over the difficulties he and his team would face. Which brings up another point of worry. Except for the Headmaster himself, I'd only trust Alastor out of the entire group, and even he can be a bit unstable in how he interacts with other people. Even you have to admit that Mundungus isn't exactly the most reliable of compatriots."

McGonagall didn't have anything to say about that. She didn't even like Mundungus let alone trust him with such a vital mission. And now that Kingsley brought it up she realized that she had her own reservations over how breezily Dumbledore handled some of the more difficult question. She thought to herself.

BTVS/HP, BTVS/HP, BTVS/HP, BTVS/HP, BTVS/HP, BTVS/HP, BTVS/HP,

I haven't been updating as often as I could. But work has kept me extremely busy. And unfortunately my entire work shift will supposedly be laid off in the next month or two, when they phase out 3rd shift. So what little free time I've had has been devoted to job hunting. So unless I have a case of insomnia I simply haven't had the time to write. I will get more chapters of LP out. But the other stories will have to take a back burner status until things get worked out.

So please Read and review. They'll keep me motivated to produce more chapters.


	9. Night wonderings

**Warning: Spoilers for Half Blood Prince and OTP.**

Most HBP spoilers are later in the story. The _Big_ OTP spoiler is right in the beginning.

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing. The Buffy and Harry Potter Characters belong to Whedon and Rowling respectively. No money is being made from this. It's all for fun.

**Postings:** Fanfiction and Twisting the Hellmouth. You can post it wherever. Just let me know so I can come and visit sometime.

Character Notes and Timeline are listed in first three chapters.

Lost Potter

Chapter Eight

Night wonderings

#12 Grimmauld Place

Harry was sitting in a chair in the kitchen muttering to himself. "I can't believe their dead. Now I'm all alone, I hated them, but…"

Mrs. Weasley had just walked into the room and came up behind Harry and enwrapped him in a hug. Harry visibly started before she'd had a chance to speak. "There there Harry, It's alright for you to morn. They may haven't have been the most caring of muggles but they were as close to being your parents as anyone could have been, having raised you from an infant. They may not have earned any of your love and devotion, but you still gave it to them hoping that one day they would return it. Now unfortunately there's no chance for them to change. It's alright to morn for the lost chance for the Dursleys to have changed, if not for them, for own self."

Mrs. Weasley then turned Harry around in the chair and looked him directly in the eyes. "You will never be alone as long as I have anything to say about it. Arthur and I have already agreed to have you live with us as long as you want to. We love you like your one of our own children. You will always have a place with us, and you'll never be alone."

Harry sobbed into Mrs. Weasley's shoulder. "I've wanted to be away from them for so long. I've even wished for them to die so I could get away from their cruelty. Does that make me a bad person?"

Mrs. Weasley pulled him from her shoulder and cupped his face in her hands and stared him directly in the eye's. "Harry that doesn't make you a bad person. Many are the time's I've wanted to gleefully strangle the twins. There's even been times I've momentarily wished I'd never met Arthur. That's only being human. You can't control every passing thought you have. You are the most caring and loving boy I've ever seen, and I include my other children in that. Arthur and I both think of you as one of our children, and we couldn't love you anymore than if I actually gave birth to you."

A short distance from Stonehenge (Scooby's reality)

"Headmaster (AN: 1) are you ready to cast the blood location spell?"

"Yes Severus, I am ready to cast it." Dumbledore assured the nervous Potions Master. "I've been to this reality or one quite close to it before many years ago so I should be able to handle the tracking aspect of the magic readily."

"Could you explain to me again how it works?"? Mundungus asked the Headmaster for what seemed to be the dozenth time.

Dumbledore took off his spectacles and rubbed his eyes. (Much like a certain librarian we all know.) "The version of the _Hemus Familias _I'm using will give me a direction as straight as an arrow towards the person that has the closest blood relationship with Harry. It really doesn't give me a feeling of how far the person is. Mostly we will have to make use of triangulation to find where the person is, until we get to a much closer range, where I can switch to the much more accurate but woefully close range version."

Dumbledore sighed. "Unfortunately we don't dare try to _Apparate _unless we have no choice in the matter. I certainly wouldn't want to splinch myself by trying and failing to perform it in this realm. Be assured that I'll be working on how we can safely perform many of the magic's we may need, by feeling out the magical ether. Now if I've answered enough questions I'll start the spell."

Dumbledore closed his eyes waved his wand in an intricate pattern, and called out "_Hemus Familias_." Now this is a most strange event Dumbledore thought to himself.

Watcher Headquarters, later that night.

Buffy and Willow were huddled together on her bed. They were sharing pints of ice cream like they used to do when talking over their troubles in Sunnydale. Buffy was leaning against the headboard in her replacement yummy sushi pajamas, and Willow in her comfortable blue nightgown. "I can't believe we're going to see the queen. It's beyond belief; I never expected to get any sort of recognition for what we do. Well other than that class protector award. But that was from people that had met me and I'd saved a lot of them. But for the queen to want to meet us it just blows my mind."

Willow smiled sweetly at Buffy's near descent into babble mode. "It isn't that hard to believe. Giles explained the circumstances pretty well, didn't he?"

Buffy nodded. "Yeah he even told us why it would be a private meeting. Because if it was public it would draw to much attention to the sorts of things we do. In a way I'm extremely grateful. A private meeting means less chance of embarrassing myself in front of a bunch of people. But now all I have to worry about is making a fool of myself up close and personal."

"Buffy just be your self and you'll do great." Willow couldn't resist a tweak. "At least until the Queen brings up your choice of boyfriends." Willow fell over giggling at the face Buffy pulled at her remark.

-A different floor in Watcher headquarters.-

Dawn in her loosely tied comfy pink fuzzy robe crept quietly down the corridor she wasn't supposed to be in. Dawn was visibly skittish as she drew up to a nondescript door, looking nervously over her shoulder, as she knocked on Xander's door.

"It's open." Xander's voice came muffled through the door.

With that response Dawn was extremely relieved and strode boldly into Xander's room, closing the door firmly behind her and locking the deadbolts behind her.

Xander was lounging on a decrepit looking but comfortably over stuffed couch watching the telly as the British would say. He was wearing a simple pair of comfortable gray sweat pants and white t-shirt.

Xander watched as Dawn went over to the small bar Xander had stocked in his room. "You won't find much there. What little booze I keep around is for when I have company. Mostly it's just soft drinks since I don't want to wind up like my parents."

Dawn smirked inwardly as she thought to herself. Won't he be surprised when he see's the small gift I got Willow to sneak into his room a couple of days ago, as she pulled a small bottle out from behind a mass of soda cans in the refrigerator. "Xander we've been writing to each other ever since Buffy and I went on our vacation. You think I'd leave anything to chance." Dawn held the bottle of champagne up for his inspection from behind the bar. "Anyway I've seen you drink before. Even to excess, I know your not an alcoholic like your parents. So a little bit of the bubbly won't hurt. I think we should celebrate the band getting back together again." Dawn smiled impishly even though she hated how much younger it made her look, as she poured a couple of glasses.

After walking back to the couch Dawn stood in front of him and handed Xander one of the glasses. Dawn clinked her glass against Xander's. "To the future," Dawn toasted.

Xander returned the toast and as he was focusing on drinking his champagne Dawn surreptitiously slipped off her robe.

Suddenly he started chocking on his champagne. "Dawn!"

BTVS/HP, BTVS/HP, BTVS/HP, BTVS/HP, BTVS/HP, BTVS/HP,

AN: 1 I simply love referring to DD as Headmaster, it's a weakness. I always want to say:

"Headmasters Targetmasters transform and roll out."


	10. Dawn!

**Warning: Spoilers for Half Blood Prince and OTP.**

Most HBP spoilers are later in the story. The _Big_ OTP spoiler is right in the beginning.

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing. The Buffy and Harry Potter Characters belong to Whedon and Rowling respectively. No money is being made from this. It's all for fun.

**Postings:** Fanfiction and Twisting the Hellmouth. You can post it wherever. Just let me know so I can come and visit sometime.

Character Notes and Timeline are listed in first three chapters.

**Lost Potter**

**Chapter Nine**

**Dawn!**

After walking back to the couch Dawn stood in front of him and handed Xander one of the glasses. Dawn clinked her glass against Xander's. "To the future," Dawn toasted.

Xander returned the toast and as he was focusing on drinking his champagne Dawn surreptitiously slipped off her robe.

Suddenly he started chocking on his champagne. "Dawn!"

--------

Damn she looks good in that red teddy. Xander thought to himself. He tried to get out his objections but had trouble from the choking he was doing. "Dawn Buffy would kill me."

Dawn simply put a finger on his lips. "No she won't. She and I have talked about it, and we both agree that you're the very best man for me."

Xander was having trouble thinking about Buffy's approval, and reached for the next nearest excuse. "You're too young. Willow would turn me into a toad."

"I'm 17 and I'll be 18 soon enough, and the age of consent in England is lower than in the states. Willow won't do anything to you, let alone turn you into any type of frog. Remember her frog fear. Anyway who do you think put the champagne in your bar?"

Xander was thunderstruck. "Huh!"

"Xander the letters we've been exchanging for most of the past year have convinced me that I love you and you love me. Do you think some adolescent would have the maturity to deal with what we've seen and done? It's been more than long enough, Willow told me that your mourning had more than run its course and that now all you're doing is using it as an excuse to push women away. She and I agreed you needed this."

Dawn then draped herself across Xander's lap and…….

_(We now return to the rest of the story you Hentais. This isn't going to be that kind of story, so get your heads out of the gutter.) See AN below._

-Near Stonehenge-

Dumbledore had been standing there unmoving for a good period of time, and those surrounding him were getting impatient.

Moody decided that enough was enough and went to question Dumbledore personally, instead of continuing to wait twiddling his thumbs. "Headmaster have you determined the direction we need to go?"

Dumbledore sighed as he relaxed his concentration and posture as he opened his eyes. "There's been a problem. From what I've seen of similar realities magic here isn't commonly known. So the _Hemus Familias _spell was the most practical method to go with. Unfortunately it is susceptible to magical interference if the sought individual is behind various protective magic's. With enough magical muscle if you will, I should be strong enough to override the interference, and at least gain some information. But the best that I can do is to determine that there is a relative of Melody Potter alive in this reality, somewhere in the direction of London."

"I researched the _Hemus Familias _spell before we left Hogwarts headmaster. The protective magic's would have to at the least be comparable to those of Hogwarts to resist someone of you power and skill.' Snape pointed out to those surrounding him and the headmaster.

"My dear Severus, with the effort I put into that spell I could have cracked the wards at Hogwarts like a rotten egg. At the very least, I should have gotten much more information from the spell. The only reason I know that there IS a relative, is that the magic kept searching for ways to penetrate the defensive spells used.

We shall have to go to muggle London and try again. But I will need time to recover before I try to breach such strong protective magic's again." He kept the fact that he was on the verge of breaking the wards however strong they were to himself, until a very powerful magical presence suddenly reinforced them throwing him back towards their boundary, and draining him of even more power than attempting to breach the wards required. It would be some time before he would want to try again.

-Watchers Headquarters-

Willow sat up in alarm from Buffy's bed where the two of them had fallen asleep. Someone was trying to break through her protective wards. "Oh no you don't." Willow muttered as her hair started bleeding towards white.

Buffy woke up from Willow's sudden motion. "What's up?" She asked sleepily before she noticed the signs of Willow dipping deeply into her magic's, with her hair going heavily white.

"Someone very powerful is trying to get some kind of magic through the wards I set up. Their strong but I can handle them." Willow tried to keep her voice smooth and even, but Buffy could hear the slight sounds of strain that Willow was trying to hide.

Buffy reached over to her phone and punched in the emergency number that would reach Giles wherever he was. The phone rang three times and Willows white hair had started to fade back to normal before Giles answered his phone.

He sounded sleepy but that ring couldn't be ignored. "Giles here." He tried to not mutter as he groped around to turn on his lamp and find his glasses.

"Giles its Buffy. Willow is fighting off some sort of magic that's trying to break through the wards around the council." Buffy paused at Willows smile. "Willow seems to have fought it off, but it was a strain on her. We better have a meeting of the Council heads ASAP."

Giles thought to himself. She's been here not even one day and already things are getting exciting again. Why didn't I convince her to stay on vacation longer? It was so restful for the both of us. Giles thought even though he tried not to let it affect his tone as he spoke to Buffy. "Since she seems to have driven it off for now, I'd suggest waiting until morning to have a meeting, after all it's… '**Good Lord'** do you have any idea what the hour is? Unless it rates at least a seven on the apocalyptic scale I won't get out of bed until 6 o' clock, so we can have the meeting over an early breakfast. Now please let me get some sleep, so good night Buffy." Giles hung the phone up before Buffy could interject. "I so got used to getting a full nights sleep while she was gone. I'm not as young as I used to be," as he turned his nightstand light off and snuggled back into bed.

Buffy took the phone from her ear and just stared at it. I can't believe he hung up on me, she thought to herself. "You ok Willow. You look kinda pale."

Willow took a couple deep breaths. "Oh I'm peachy with a side of keen. It's just I had to reach for deep magic with no prep time so it's a bit of a rush. Who or whatever it was trying to get through the wards was stronger than I am in an absolute sense. It looks like I have to reach for more power to counter them. But then I can kick their mystical butt's.

"That's my uber white witch." Buffy smiled at her dearest friend.

'Your darn tooting I'm your uber witch. I'll have a lot of trouble getting to sleep after this so, I think I'll meditate on this until morning. Some of the signals I got were kind of strange."

BTVS/HP, BTVS/HP, BTVS/HP, BTVS/HP, BTVS/HP, BTVS/HP,

AN: Before you ask. NO I will not write anything more explicit than what I've already done. It's not something I'd feel comfortable with.

As to the D/X ship well I feel it's a good match. What person would ever be able to deal with the sorts of things the Scoobies deal with? Both of them would need to seek out someone with similar life and death experiences and/or be considerably older to deal with all the emotional baggage either party would bring to any relationship.

Xander would be limited to the Slayer pool for possible girl friends and most of them would still be significantly younger than him. Simply because I simply can't see the White Knight as having a casual relationship.

Dawn on the other hand would have a hard time finding any male that either wasn't way too old for her, or working for her father figure. She could go outside the council, but then the poor guy would have to face the shovel speech from a large group of people.

This may be a temporary or permanent thing depending on how the story goes. I may have HP/BTVS ships up my sleeve but we will have to see.

_Bwahahahaha ;-)_


	11. MorningAfternoon

**Warning: Spoilers for Half Blood Prince and OTP.**

Most HBP spoilers are later in the story. The _Big_ OTP spoiler is right in the beginning.

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing. The Buffy and Harry Potter Characters belong to Whedon and Rowling respectively. No money is being made from this. It's all for fun.

**Postings:** Fanfiction and Twisting the Hellmouth. You can post it wherever. Just let me know so I can come and visit sometime.

Character Notes and Timeline are listed in first three chapters.

**Lost Potter**

**Chapter Ten**

**Morning/Afternoon**

-Morning Watchers Headquarters-

Main Meeting Room.

Giles looked over the gathered council, particularly the youngsters. Buffy and Willow Xander and Dawn seemed to be a bit tired. "Did everyone have a restless night?"

Faith scoffed, 'not me Jeeves. I slept like a baby. Now they on the other hand look like they were being busy all night." Faith said with a leer in her voice. Faiths comment made Dawn and Xander blush.

Buffy didn't notice the blushes since she was focused on Faith. "Faith when are you going to get your mind out of the gutter?"

Faith thought about it for a moment. "Hum? I guess never? The gutter is nice and warm, and I like it there." (AN:1)

Buffy humped at Faiths casual crudeness and decided she wanted to get things over with. "OK Willow, your up."

Even though Willow was one of the most powerful Wicca's ever, she had a trace of her old nervousness at speaking in front of groups. So she gave Buffy a dire look that promised vengeance later on, as she stood up to address the gathered council. "About 2:30AM local time this morning an attempt was made to break the wards protecting the new Watchers Council headquarters. This magical assault wasn't just going to penetrate the wards. It would have obliterated them, if I hadn't reinforced them almost immediately. What's even worse is that the person or demon trying to break the wards was mystically stronger than I am."

A muttered wave of nervousness passed among the gathered council, at this revelation. Willow was definitely one of the most powerful Wicca's to exist in the past two thousand years. Anyone or anything that was more magically powerful than her had to be considered a major possible threat.

Willow tried to override the murmurs. "It was stronger than I am when it's just my personal power on the line. But!" She raised a finger to draw attention to her next point. "When I delved into the Earths power I was much stronger than the instigator of this morning's mystical intrusion." There were quite a few shared looks of relief passed around at that point. "The magic itself didn't feel malevolent, so it might have only been a divination attempt with no particular animus against the council."

The meeting continued on for the next few hours along these lines. Congratulations were also made for Buffy's impending audience with the Queen.

-A private hotel suite located in upscale London.-

It's been a very long and tiring night, and we should all get a short nap along with some food into us. Room service at establishments such as this should be capable of handling most mundane foods. So I hope that later this evening we will be refreshed and able to start the active search."

Snape was looking like he'd sat on a pincushion with how pinched his face was. "Are you sure that staying here is a good idea? Even with the multitude of inconspicuousness charms we have woven about us, we could most easily fall prey to violating the secrecy laws."

"My dear Severus, we have nothing to worry about. We are all most accomplished at obliviating muggles. As for the secrecy laws, I doubt we shall need to be concerned about them. Now does anyone have any more questions about the charm I taught you as we flew here under or illusionary guise?" The nodding heads reassured Dumbledore that things would proceed smoothly after that debacle with the wards. "Then let us go to the rooms I have managed to convince the local establishment to provide for us and get some much needed rest."

-Harry's reality.-

Voldemort's lair.

"Lucius approach me with your report."

Lucius Malfoy carefully moved to the prescribed distance while maintaining the proper demeanor of deference to his master. "I've come from visiting Fudge's office. He was ranting about the mysterious disappearance of Dumbledore. The fool has been up in arms over Dumbledore's abduction of the Potter brat. With the boy's legal guardians dead he becomes a ward of the state. Needless to say Fudge desires this greatly.

Fudge dispatched a crack team of Aurors to locate the brat and place him in protective custody. McGonagall has been so unhelpfully polite it's amazing that she hasn't broken out into a rash with all the honeyed words she's been spewing. There has been one significant development though. It seems that Severus has disappeared as well."

"Excellent Lucius, make sure that you keep me informed of any developments." Voldemort hissed.

Buffy's reality-

That afternoon.

The Scoobies had gathered in Giles office to discuss among them selves the meeting they had been stuck in for what seemed like forever.

"Willow next time you sit bolt upright and keep something from breaking the wards…." Buffy leaned forwards to make her point. "_Don't! _I thought that meeting would never end. Give me an apocalypse any day."

Faith chimed in from the bar. "You can say that again B. And I thought budget meetings were bad. Now do you realize why Jeeves didn't want to call in the cavalry this morning? If he'd made it seem that urgent so that everyone would be up at that hour. Well… we would still be conference."

Dawn and Xander exchanged a quick glance in relief yet again. Things could have been rather awkward if someone had come looking for them last night. Once again Buffy was oblivious to the exchange, but Faith noted it. And thought to herself, _The X-Man and little sis… How neat is that? Wonder if Willow knows? Best change the subject. _"B how cool is it that your going to see the fricking Queen in two days? I really wish I could go with ya."

Giles once again tried to reassure Faith. "Until your legal troubles have been completely cleared up it would be most inadvisable for you to go to such a public place. Even with all the security that's available it simply wouldn't be safe until we can get your conviction overturned. Her Majesty is aware of your predicament and is applying all the royal vigor she can to helping our efforts. But it does take time. You will be recognized as soon as it is practical and safe for you to do so.

Buffy wanted to reassure her as well. "Faith we may not be blood. We may even have trouble getting along with each other. But we are all family."

"Family huh? Well I can most definitely see you as the older and nosier sister. Hey Dawn ,you want to team up and terrorize big sis."

An evil smirk crossed Dawns face, and Buffy started to worry. "Sure would sis." Buffy wondered what she'd let herself in for.

BTVS/HP, BTVS/HP, BTVS/HP, BTVS/HP, BTVS/HP, BTVS/HP, BTVS/HP

AN:1 I paraphrased (slightly) a certain disreputable character that I've always enjoyed. The first person that can come up with the character I was thinking of, will get a mention in the story in upcoming chapters. (If they so wish, otherwise I'll just point out their right guess.)

NOTE: The Lost Potter will be revealed in the next two chapters. So get your votes in quickly.


	12. That Night

**Warning: Spoilers for Half Blood Prince and OTP.**

Most HBP spoilers are later in the story. The _Big_ OTP spoiler is right in the beginning.

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing. The Buffy and Harry Potter Characters belong to Whedon and Rowling respectively. No money is being made from this. It's all for fun.

**Postings:** Fanfiction and Twisting the Hellmouth. You can post it wherever. Just let me know so I can come and visit sometime.

Character Notes and Timeline are listed in first three chapters.

**Lost Potter**

**Chapter Eleven**

**That Night**

-Dumbledores Suite-

"You must not disturb me. I'm going to cast an extremely powerful locating spell to see if I can get past the wards to localize Harry's blood relative." Dumbledore admonished his audience. "Are you ready to _Apparate _into the search pairs I requested of you?" At the nods of affirmation Dumbledore settled himself to begin casting.

-Watchers HQ-

Willow had just sat down for a late private dinner in her room, when she felt a massive wall of magical power batter at her wards. It didn't seem like the power was trying to pierce her wards. Instead it seemed to envelope the Council's Wards in what would seem to be a detectable field.

"Pretty ingenious, short range but you will get some location info out of this particular trick." Willow increased the power of the Council's Wards to burn off the magical fog enveloping them. I better try calling Giles. He'll need to know what just happened, Willow thought to herself.

Dumbledore suite-

"Well things didn't go as smoothly as I hoped. My opponent countered my tracery and burnt it off in short order. , before I could even do more than the simplest of locations. But at least now we know the individual we seek is in a particular area of London for our search. So the _Ward Netting _spell I taught you will be moderately useful. All you will have to do now is cast the net and examine any locations that turn up to not exist in side the net." Dumbledore directed the assembled wizards into the pattern that would be most useful in searching upscale London.

-Xanders room-

"Dawn we can't keep meeting like this." Xander was desperately trying to fend off the encroachments of the horny teenager.

Dawn did her best coquettish voice. "Xander you didn't let me do what I wanted to last night." She said as she tried backing him in the direction of the bedroom.

Xander tried to think of something, anything that would get him out of this situation with all of his favorite body parts intact and attached, after Buffy found out... "Dawn your not of age."

"I am here in England."

"I simply can't do it."

Dawn smirked. "That's not what Anya said, _Mr. Viking_. Anyway it's to late now; we didn't score a home run. But we definitely got to third base last night before you passed out from the alcohol."

"It's been so long…" Xander started before Dawn interrupted him.

"Yes it was..." Dawn trailed off suggestively.

Xander was amazed after what Anya put him through that he could still blush embarrassedly. NOT THAT!" Xander visibly forced himself to calm down. "Dawn I love you but I just don't think I'm ready, not to mention what Buffy would say"

Dawn reached up and put a finger over his lips to quite him. "I'm older than Buffy was. And I've chosen someone I love and trust."

"And who has a pulse." Xander interjected, not being able to pass up a swipe at Buff's necrophilia.

"That to, don't worry about Willow or Buffy. Will is the one who helped me set things up. And while Buffy wasn't in on it, you have to admit she's a lot sharper than she lets on. She's bound to have figured it out. But Buffy chooses to not notice it until we do something that she'll have to notice. If she objected at all then you know she would have done something to keep me away from you."

"Dawn I don't know what to say."

"Tell me you don't love me, and I'll go away and never bother you again. But until you do your mine." Dawn en wrapped him in a warm embrace.

-Giles Office-

'Buffy are you sure this is a good idea?" Giles asked worriedly.

"Relax Giles. AS long as they are discreet, I'll be able to turn a blind eye to it. After all I simply must keep my California blonde impression going. If I think things are going bad, then I'll miraculously notice and put the fear of me into whoever deserves it.

Anyway Willow told me about all the minis that she's intercepted that have been trying to sneak in to comfort him. Lord only knows how many she's missed. Unlike the minis Dawn actually cares for and even loves him. The minis are just suffering from the slaygasm."

"Slaygasm?" Giles obviously wanted Buffy to explain her current butchering of the English language.

Buffy was a bit flustered. "You do know Faiths H&H theory on slaying right?" At Giles nod Buffy continued. "Well we did some talking. You know how worked up a Slayer can get after a good slay. You're at the peak of release. Almost like when you..."

Giles interrupted to spare Buffy's blushes and his own. "I am familiar with the concept. But I'd never heard of such a word to describe it."

"When you reach that point all it takes is just a nudge to send you over. And since Xander is the closest desirable male in the age range of the minis it puts him in most of the girl's cross hairs. By Dawn staking her claim as it were that will take Xander off the eligibility list, for most of the minis. Hopefully it will reduce some of the infighting that's been going on behind the scenes.

Giles was considering Buffy's points when his phone rang and he absentmindedly reached over and picked the receiver up. "Directors Office."

Willow was glad that she'd gotten a hold of Giles directly without having to do a mindlink, since she wanted to respect everyone's privacy as much as possible. "Giles we just got another attempt to penetrate our wards. This one was much cleverer than the last attempt."

Buffy saw that Giles almost visibly aged with whatever news he was getting. And it made her realize once again that her Watcher father figure wasn't a young man anymore. And that organizing the New Council, finding and locating all the new Slayers had to have taken a major toll on his vitality. "Giles, what's wrong?"

Giles motioned for Buffy to wait as he finished listening to the telephone. "Thank you Willow, I'll be sure to let those that need to know find out about this latest incident." Giles hung the phone up pinched the bridge of his nose and turned his attention to Buffy. "Well it seems our magical friend just paid us another visit as it were. According to Willow he tried a fairly novel attempt at en wrapping the wards instead of penetrating them. While he couldn't get through the protections, for whatever reason he or she has. He could locate the location of the wards." At the look of concern that crossed Buffy's face Giles rushed to assure her. "Willow essentially powered up the wards and burned off the magic involved in short order. Much like the sun eventually dispels the fog. The attempt didn't last long enough that Willow thinks they got a good fix on our location. But the general area of London is almost certainly been identified."

'So you and Willow are saying that whoever this is, keeps getting closer to whatever they want each time they try?"

"I'm afraid so. I will most likely have to increase the patrols in the local area and use Xanders ready reaction force in case this mage proves to be hostile."

-A short while later-

Snape was pacing in frustration in the alley as he had just finished talking with Mundungus. "It's curious, for such a muggle setting there are certainly a large number of warded locations around here. You would almost think that this was a Wizarding area hidden behind a muggle facade. Still we should be able to rule out the smaller and weaker wards. Only a major magical power could have short circuited the Headmasters magic. Something that is extremely unlikely to be used by some private home." Snape turned back towards Mundungus. "You're sure you've found a large warded area?" Mundungus simply nodded his head. Snape had always scared him. "Very well go back to the hotel and let the headmaster know what you've found. A warded city block will have to be investigated most carefully."

As Mundungus was hurrying off Snape had a final thought. "What was the name of the place again?" Mundungus shouted over his shoulder, since he didn't want to get close to Snape yet again.

"New Watchers Council Historical Preservation Society."

BTVS/HP: BTVS/HP: BTVS/HP: BTVS/HP: BTVS/HP: BTVS/HP:

Sorry I haven't updated in so long. But things have been real hectic. My wife's grandfather went into the hospital and we spent as much time visiting him as we could with a 1.5hr one way drive. Unfortunately Beauregard "Bo" O'Neill never left the hospital, after living for 86 years. We had to help arrange the funeral, and help grandma leave the house she'd lived in with him. She simply couldn't stand living there without him. So we had to pack everything up. Move her to her sisters' place and get the house ready for new occupants.

So with what little time I've had, I simply didn't have the energy left over to write. Hopefully things have settled down now to where there will be time. But working 2 jobs for 60 a week (it was around 70) doesn't leave much time. So I'll probably only update every other week or so now. I'll try to make the chapters longer. But no promises.


	13. Later That Night

**Warning: Spoilers for Half Blood Prince and OTP.**

Most HBP spoilers are later in the story. The _Big_ OTP spoiler is right in the beginning.

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing. The Buffy and Harry Potter Characters belong to Whedon and Rowling respectively. No money is being made from this. It's all for fun.

**Postings:** Fanfiction and Twisting the Hellmouth. You can post it wherever. Just let me know so I can come and visit sometime.

Character Notes and Timeline are listed in first three chapters.

**Lost Potter**

**Chapter Twelve**

**Later That Night**

-Willows suite-

Buffy was knocking on the door hoping in a way that Willow wouldn't answer and that she didn't have anything to worry about. "Willow are you still up?"

Buffy heard Willow call out, "Just a minute." She opened the door up to see her distraught friend. "Buffy what's wrong? Why do you look so sad?"

"We need to talk." Willow stepped back and gestured for Buffy to come into her suite, which also primed the wards to flash fry anyone entering with ill intent. Buffy stepped through without a hitch. "Thanks Willow I think this is a discussion that we need to keep very private. Could you please make sure your privacy wards are at full strength?"

Willow closed the door behind Buffy and did what she had asked, while casually scanning her to see if she had been enspelled somehow. "Buffy will you please sit down, and tell me now what's wrong?"

"I was with Giles when you called earlier." Buffy hadn't sat down and had actually begun pacing. "I really don't know what brought it to my attention so much. It's just been a lot of little things. Things I saw even before the collapse of the Hellmouth."

Willow was getting frustrated with the eldest Slayers rambling. "Please sit down and tell me what has you so worked up?"

Buffy stopped pacing and sat on the couch Willow had gestured towards. "It's Giles." And Buffy fell silent and looked down at the burgundy carpet almost in shame.

"Goddess Buffy will you please tell me what's wrong?"

"When you told him what happened there was a look of such complete exhaustion on his face. Even though he tried to perk up and keep me from noticing after the call. It was like someone had added yet another mountain to the weight of the world on his back. And it's slowly killing him."

Willow muttered softly, but not softly enough to hide from Buffy's hearing. "That's truer than you could possibly know."

"SAY WHAT?" Buffy stood up so fast she almost left a sonic boom behind her.

Oh crud I didn't say that, surely I only thought it. Oh boy Giles is going to be pissed Willow practically babbled in her mind. "Buffy stay calm and sit down. I shouldn't have said that. I don't know what came over me, and Giles is going to be so pissed at me for what I've already said."

Buffy stared at her best friend with implacable eyes. 'Willow tell me what's going on. Don't babble it. Just tell me in order what's going on with Giles."

"You can't tell anyone. The only reason I know is that I was there at the time. It started about six months ago. We were having yet another apocalyptic prophecy to deal with that came from out of the blue. Funny that expression why isn't it out of the..." Willow trailed off as she saw the look on Buffy's face. "OK that's not the point of the story. The prophecy was a surprise but other than being short notice _again _it was anything that we hadn't handled any number of times. We got through it even though it required another virtual all-nighter. Giles and I dozed off in his office. He had the security squad come in and wake us in case we'd drifted off before he had to get up and start the day. He went to his in office wash room and was getting ready to face yet another day with insufficient sleep. He was complaining about "getting to old for this" actually." Willow and Buffy both smiled absentmindedly at his constant reminders of his age.

Willows face fell after only a moment. "This time it wasn't a complaint. This time it was real, Giles was moving along just as he normally would getting ready for yet another hectic day that would task even a much younger man. While he was in the wash room I heard him cry out. I ran it ready to flambé anything or anyone that would hurt him. But it wasn't any sort of attack I could defend him against. He was having a heart attack. I got him to the hospital. We said he'd simply slipped and given himself another concussion. It was bad enough that they should have kept Giles for a few days at the least. But he bullied them out of it. The doctor told me that it's the stress level he has to deal with. He isn't a young man and his schedule would be a killer for someone 20 years younger. Giles made me promise to not let on to anyone that he's been in bad shape, I think Xander suspects though. It's Giles iron will that has kept him on his feet in all those fights that's going to wind up getting him killed. And there's nothing he'll let me do."

Willow started crying and Buffy got up and sat on the arm of Willows easy chair and hugged her tightly. "Willow I didn't know. Now that I'm back I'll take on as much of his work as I can. While I'm around Giles will work himself to death over my dead body".

Willow had a hint of a smile in her voice. "Uhm Buffy considering how many times you've..."

"Uh good point. Well then over Andrews's dead body." Buffy kidded Willow.

"You know if it would get him to shut up about Star wars I think Giles might even volunteer." Willow was trying to hold back the screaming fit of giggles Buffy's and her comments had engineered. "Well are you ready to see the Queen tomorrow?"

"Oh boy you had to bring that up. Thanks a lot, now I'll never get to sleep tonight. I'm terrified that I'll do something stupid like show up without any clothes on."

I know I promised to reveal the Lost Potter in this chapter. But I decided I just didn't want to crowd even more into the chappy than I already did. Anyway I'd already done a 1500 word story earlier today. Look for "The Star is the Car" as a one shot.


	14. After the Queen 13A

**Warning: Spoilers for Half Blood Prince and OTP.**

Most HBP spoilers are later in the story. The _Big_ OTP spoiler is right in the beginning.

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing. The Buffy and Harry Potter Characters belong to Whedon and Rowling respectively. No money is being made from this. It's all for fun.

**Postings:** Fanfiction and Twisting the Hellmouth. You can post it wherever. Just let me know so I can come and visit sometime.

Character Notes and Timeline are listed in first three chapters.

**Lost Potter**

**Chapter Thirteen A**

**After The Queen**

-Leaving Buckingham Palace-

Buffy Xander Dawn and Willow were riding in the limousine that had been sent to collect them from Watchers HQ. Buffy continued tapping the sealed scroll from Her Majesty against her leg.

"I can't believe you asked the Queen..."

Willow was cut off by Dawn. "Yeah sis why in the world did you ask her to do that?'

"Can she even do what you asked, is it even legal?" Xander was still amazed and flustered over the nerve Buffy had shown in her request of the Queen.

Buffy just shook her head. "Guys I did a little research last night. It seems the Council has been operating under a royal writ for centuries. Technically the ruling monarch is the defacto head of the Council."

"But that hasn't been the case in centuries. The Queen is only a figurehead. The Council has been independent since before the Magna Carta. It's been so long the crown had even forgotten the Council existed. But you spent one night researching and you got her to... I can't even say it, Giles is going to be pissed you know that don't you?" Willow finished as she glared at Buffy.

"He may be pissed but it's for his own good. Now can you please let me veg out? I spent all last night digging through old dusty books. I could use a quick power nap."

Alright sis, but you owe us all an explanation and I insist on being there when you explain THIS to Giles." Dawn as really looking forward to the upcoming metaphorical train wreck.

-Giles Office-

"Jeeves we may have a problem." Faith said as she burst into his office.

"Faith could you please tell me without any histrionics what _THIS_ problem might be?" Rupert old boy sometimes it just isn't worth getting out of bed. I'm getting to old for this shit. Giles thought himself yet again.

Faith had seen how much Giles had to deal with and really regretted bringing him yet another problem. "You sent out the order to step up surveillance and to report anything out of the ordinary didn't you?"

"Of course I did Faith. Now why would that require you bursting into my office unannounced. I'm happy to see you. But I do have an immense amount of work that's piling up that needs to be done and done quickly."

"Well Vi and some of the other mini slayers were coming back from a random patrol, and they saw a group of robed people lurking nearby and most likely watching headquarters. The big thing is that the watcher with them didn't see the robes at all. Even after he'd had it brought to his attention with a wink and nod all he ever saw was some men in nondescript suits." By the time Faith had gotten to the point Giles had already taken off his glasses and pinched the bridge of his nose. "And thats not the worst of it. After they got back inside Vi sent one of the minis to get me. By the time I got there the watcher had forgotten that he'd seen anything at all.

"This is distressing news. Obviously being Slayers helped protect the youngsters from whatever magic is involved. But what I find most disturbing is the forgetfulness of whatever concealment magic they are using. Even the new breed of watcher have a number of mystical protections to help prevent having their memories tampered with."

"So what should we do, Jeeves?"

Giles responded automatically. "First don't call me that. Secondly I want at least two teams of slayers ready to engage these people if we decide to do that. One of them will be an observation team. They will use technical and no magical means of surveillance, since these robes seem to use a great deal of magic, any magic used to watch them might be detected. The second team will be a heavy weapons team, ready to attack at a moments notice. Ideally we should capture if possible. But by no means are the girls to endanger themselves. These robes could eventually be friendly, but with their clandestine surveillance of us I must regretfully declare them a potential threat and they will have to accept the consequences of their acts."

"Uhm Giles not to burst your bubble or anything. But what about Willow?"

"She's still with Buffy and if everything is going to the Protocol Offices schedule then they should already be on the return leg of their trip. Hopefully we won't need her. After all deploying Willow is like using a Fusion device to eliminate domestic flying insects."

Faith was agog. Giles cracked a joke. Things must really be bad. "Well if you said using a nuke to swat flies I can agree with you except for one point. What if these robes are connected to the scrying attempts Red has been warning us about?

BTVS/HP BTVS/HP BTVS/HP BTVS/HP BTVS/HP BTVS/HP BTVS/HP BTVS/HP

Sorry it's been so long. But working 60-70hrs a week has simply left me to frakkin tired to write. In the past couple of weeks my hours have dropped to 40-50, so I should be able to get the energy to write more often. I'll be posting smaller chapters but much more frequently. I already have B, C, pretty much done with some of D already started. (Originally I was going for much longer chapters. But short and frequent seems to be the way things go for now.)


	15. Chapter 15

**Warning: Spoilers for Half Blood Prince and OTP.**

Most HBP spoilers are later in the story. The _Big_ OTP spoiler is right in the beginning.

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing. The Buffy and Harry Potter Characters belong to Whedon and Rowling respectively. No money is being made from this. It's all for fun.

**Postings:** Fanfiction and Twisting the Hellmouth. You can post it wherever. Just let me know so I can come and visit sometime.

Character Notes and Time line are listed in first three chapters.

**Lost Potter**

**Chapter Thirteen B**

**After The Queen**

-Outside Watcher Headquarters-

Dumbledore had just arrived and was busily questioning Severus. "This had better not be another wild goose chase."

Snape put his most offended sneer on. "Headmaster I would not purposefully lead you astray."

Dumbledore simply sighed in exasperation. "Very well what can you tell me about this place?"

-On the roof just above the wizards.-

"Please do you greasy slime ball." Faith mutters to herself.

"Headmaster this particular location is extensively warded. Even if this isn't the place we are looking for we should acquire as much knowledge as we can about any potential adversary's."

Dumbledore nodded his head agreeing to Professor Snapes suggestion. "Very well Severus. We shall investigate and determine if these wards are responsible for preventing me from finding the object of our search. First I should consider what sort of approach to these wards would be most efficacious."

"Oh boy are you guys in for it." Faith muttered as she waved over her backup. The redheaded Slayer was a devoted follower of Faiths style of Slaying. "These are probably the pains in the ass that caused all of the alarms. They don't feel like demons. Just in case though, get Tammy's heavy weapons team in position to take them out in three minutes, after I make my move. Make sure they understand we are going to try to take prisoners and not build a body count. But if it comes to it I don't want anyone exposing themselves to any unnecessary risk. Then get back here."

Dumbledore had spent the past few minutes considering his options. Just as he was about to take his wand out he saw a pair of muggle girls approaching. Not wanting to unnecessarily test the strength of his unobtrusiveness spell he decided to let them pass before using his magic. Faith gave Kim the signal just as they were moving past the alley opening.

They whirled about each pulling a knife on the pair of wizards. "Don't try anything funny. If you're peaceful you won't get hurt."

Snape was indignant. How dare this muggle child threaten him? He reached for his wand. Kim threw her knife into his arm. "ARGH!! You little muggle bitch! I'll have your entrails for that." Snape hissed in pain. Kim reached behind her and pulled out another pair of knives.

Dumbledore grabbed at his wand while Faith was semi distracted with Snapes cursing.

Faith spotting the movement threw her ready knife to wound the older guy. The knife ricocheted off his robe as she charged him to get within grabbing distance.

Dumbledore was amazed that a muggle girl could move so fast. He hadn't gotten his wand clear of his sleeve before she had grabbed him and twisted his arm behind him in a hold that he had no way of knowing was called a hammer lock.

"Stupid we told you, you wouldn't be hurt if you came along peacefully. Right now all we want is to know why you've been spying on us. You convince us you're not a threat and we'll let you go." Faith was pissed these guys looked human and she didn't feel right about having to strong arm the senior citizen. The greasy git that looked like he should be staked on general principles though...

Dumbledore thought furiously, most of the wandless magic he could use in this situation was the type that was totally ineffective or would be a vast over kill. Not to mention it felt like the little muggle wench would rip his arm out of his socket at any moment if he tried anything and it didn't work. She and her companion were simply to fast to chance fighting at such close range as long as there were any alternatives. "My dear forgive my companion, we were simply surprised and only acted to defend ourselves when you surprised us."

Faith eased up her grip just a bit since it seemed like the old geezer was going to cooperate. "Once Red checks out your story we'll know if you're telling the truth, c'mon." Faith said as she led them across the street after she'd looked to see if anyone was about that would notice.

-Buffy's car pulling up to HQ-

"Wasn't that Faith and Kim taking someone inside?" Dawn asked the older Scoobies.

Xander rubbed at his chin. "I wonder whets up?"

Willow suggested, "Let's check in with Giles after we get changed. He'll know what's going on. If it's urgent he'll call us to his office as soon as we get inside."

-30 minutes later outside Giles office-

Buffy heard a strange voice coming through the door. "Mr. Giles I assure you we are no threat. As a matter of fact we are on a mission of mercy."

As the door opened she saw Giles interrogating an old geezer. "I have some doubts about that. The amount of magic that has been impinging on our wards has been quite considerable. More so than would be needed for any harmless purpose."

Dumbledore wasn't enthusiastic about his chances of obfuscation impressing this particular muggle. "Very well Mr...?"

"Giles."

"Mr. Giles all I am attempting to do is find a missing relative for a boy I care a great deal about. She was lost some time ago, and until recently I have been unable to devote the time and resources to find her." Dumbledore knew that he had to be extremely careful in what he said. He was almost certain that there would be some sort of truthfulness detection spell in place.

"That may very well be. But just why are you so adamant about finding her? The level of magic you were using would be considered excessive and almost even obsessive. Why is it so important to find this missing relative?"

Buffy and the other entered the office at this time. They knew better than to break Giles inquisition so settled down quietly to observe someone besides them get a bit of the Ripper's touch.

Snape was put off with being on display for a bunch of muggles after being wounded. Admittedly they had treated his injury in a muggle fashion but he was still in a rather large amount of pain. So he blurted out more information than he really should have. "The useless bint we're looking for is the only known surviving relative of the boy. She's been missing for years, the only reason we are looking for her now is because the boy's only other family died in an accident. And we have to get a blood relative to stay with the boy so the magical protection his dead mother placed on him will remain active."

Dumbledore was ready to strangle Severus. He was far from ready to get into that point at this time. Giles only raised an eyebrow. "Forgive my colleague he's a bit overwrought with his injury, but what he said is the literal truth. We do desperately need to retain the protections that his mother placed on Harry for his own safety."

"Before I'll say anything more on that subject I must know why you used so much magical force to find a simple missing relative. There are numerous incantations that would produce the same effect without being so disruptive." Giles intoned, Willow perked up at that. This sounded like it might finally be getting good.

"The spell requires a blood sample to work."

Xander riled up at that. "You took blood from a kid just so you could...?"

Dumbledore saw that he was on very treacherous ground. "Harry has been in to see the school nurse any number of times, for any number of reasons over the years. We have blood samples from all the students in case of accidents and for testing. The spell itself only requires a few drops, but I do only have a small supply to work with as mandated by our law. The spell I was using is only for direction at longer ranges. I have to get much closer to get anything beyond a general sense of direction. The person I was looking for could have been on the other side of the planet under any and all sorts of anti scrying protections. The spell does have a tendency to damage wards of different sorts. Normally I wouldn't use this method at all but time is short. Harry desperately needs to be placed with a relative in an extremely short time frame or the protection his mother cast as she died will fail. There is no way short of someone else dying to recast this level of protection."

Since Xander had already put his foot in it Buffy decided in for a penny, in for a pound. "Why would 'Henry?' need the level of protection that your implying?"

Snape was livid. This mudblood dared to question the old fool that way. "Speak more politely to your betters' girl." Snape snarled out.

Great Merlin I'm being questioned by children now, Dumbledore thought. "Mr. Giles I simply must inst that these youngsters not interject themselves into our conversation."

Buffy thought, no one was going to dismiss her this way, not again. "Listen here greasy and you old coot, Giles and I are partners. But guess what? No I'll simply tell you, you won't need to guess. You just stepped in it big time. All of the people in this room are equal partners, not to mention friends. You've just pissed off your semi indifferent audience, and now we will be getting VERY involved with your so called 'adult' discussion. So put that in your hat and smoke it. And if either of you says anything but an apology that we can believe, your going to get one of the biggest surprises in your lives."

"YOU LITTLE..." Snape suddenly lost all ability to speak. His mouth continued to move but no sounds were being produced.

Willow smirked at the greasy git. "When you show that you're willing to be polite and civil I might remove the spell. If you two continue to annoy us. I might just do something nastier than keeping you quite for the next month or so. Or maybe I'll simply make it permanent. Now for you...?" Willow trailed of with a suggestive look in her eye, hinting at all sorts of potential mischief and or mayhem.

Dumbledore was extremely worried, without his voice Professor Snapes magical ability would be severely compromised. And the redhead seemed to have done it in a completely offhand manner. He would have to be very careful to not unnecessarily annoy her. "Please Miss...'

Willow saw no harm in letting him know. "Rosenberg."

"Miss Rosenberg my companion will behave himself. _Won't you Severus._" If there had been any blooming plants in Giles office the frost in Dumbledores voice would have wilted them. Snape frantically nodded his head. He really didn't want to permanently loose his voice. How would he terrorize the Gryffindores and most especially that Potter brat if he couldn't speak?

Buffy knew Willow was a bit of a soft touch and wanted to head things off before the old guy could guilt her into anything. "Let's get back to him later. Why don't we hear from you instead? I'm still waiting to hear my question answered. It's hanging out there all by itself and I'm sure it would like your answer for company." Why does a school age boy need the kind of magical protection you're implying? Why is it so vital that you go searching for a missing relative that you've admittedly haven't looked for in years? Answer me that."

TBC.

Authors Note:

I'm truly sorry it has taken this long to update this story. But my work week is crazy. If I have 10 TOTAL unscheduled hours to myself in an entire work week I'm doing great. Most of the time I'm stuck running from one task to another. The only time I ever have off as such is when I'm off work for a couple of days. Then I'm more interested in catching up on the sleep I miss all week. If I get 20hrs of rest in an entire 5 day work week I'm lucky, 15-16 is more likely. Things have changed slightly and I'm getting just a bit more sleep during my week. Not much but enough that I'm willing to try to get back into the swing of writing.

The story has NOT been abandoned but I doubt it will update very often. I simply don't have the time/energy. My plan was to do small chapters. But that simply isn't going to happen. I can't write smaller chapters. But the next chapter or two should be out over the next couple of weeks. Since I'm actually getting a week's vacation and I should be able to get some writing done while dealing with other things.


	16. Revelations pt1

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing. The Buffy and Harry Potter Characters belong to Whedon and Rowling respectively. No money is being made from this. It's all for fun.

**Postings:** Fanfiction and Twisting the Hellmouth. You can post it wherever. Just let me know so I can come and visit sometime.

Character Notes and Time line are listed in first three chapters.

**Lost Potter**

**Chapter Fourteen:**

**Revelations**

-Buffy- "Why does a school age boy need the kind of magical protection you're implying? Why is it so vital that you go searching for a missing relative that you've admittedly haven't looked for in years? Answer me that."

Now the story begins

"Miss?"

"Summers. Thats Xander and Dawn and the lady fiddling with the knife is Faith. Now will you quit stalling?"

"Very well. The answer to both your questions is tied into Harry's past. The very reason he is an orphan as a matter of fact. A very dark wizard who has styled himself as the Dark Lord."

"You can't be serious? Dark Lord? Did this guy watch Star Wars to many times as a kid?""

"Xander please let the man speak." Privately Buffy agreed with him.

"The Dark Lord unleashed a reign of terror on our society. Harry's parents had a leading role in opposing the Dark Lord and his followers. Eventually things came to a head and James and Lily went into hiding. By means that do not need to be repeated here their hidden location was found.

The Dark Lord personally went to kill them. Not much is known for sure. But reconstructions of the events of that night led us to some conclusions. The dark Lord used a magic that has no known defense except one that was discovered after the events in question. Simply knowing this curse is enough to imprison you for the rest of your life, it isn't called Unforgivable without reason.

James was killed while protecting his family hoping to give Lily time to get away. Lily unfortunately was cornered, the Dark Lord cast the unforgivable curse yet again. Somehow Lily used her last moments to protect Harry, instead of herself. The Dark Lord cast one more time. A curse that even fully trained adult wizards had no defense against. Harry was only an infant, helpless by every definition known by man. The Unforgivable curse reflected off of Harry and killed the Dark Lord."

Dawn whispered to herself. "Go Harry." An expression which was almost universally supported (except by Snape) by those present in the room.

Unfortunately this placed a big target on Harry. He Dark Lord was gone, but his supporters remained. The next Dark Lord would almost have a prerequisite of removing Harry from the playing board. After ascertaining that the protection his mother placed on him required that he stay with a relative to stay in force I placed him with his Aunt and Uncle Petunia and Vernon. Supposedly his last remaining relatives.

They have recently been involved in a traffic accident. I knew that Melody, Harry's great aunt had tried to _Apparate _in an area that is dimensionally unstable and specifically posted against anyone performing apparition.. It was a freak occurrence like being hit by lightning. Where she is hopefully still alive."

"Uhm why didn't you look for her earlier. At least as a back up plan?

I'm afraid that isn't as simple as you might think. Magic was used to pierce the dimensional barrier. And it was determined that she was happy with her new circumstances. So I made no effort to retrieve her at the time. Then Voldermort started his rise and there simply wasn't the time to go fetch her. And I'm sorry to say it. But she slipped my mind. It's been a curiosity bump I've wanted to scratch for some time. But never had the time to deal with it, and now we have no choice in the matter.

Dawn raised her hand. "Did you say? _Dimensional Barrier?"_

Dumbledore nodded. "Yes I did my dear. My companion and I as well as Melody Potter"

_Oh shit! Melody Potter? _Was the wild thought.

"Dimensional traveling isn't a task to be undertaken lightly. Only a handful of wizards even have the sheer magical strength to attempt it. Dear Melody should have never been capable of it. But my investigation showed that she was caught in a freak accident, it should have killed her."

Giles started to speak. "Mr. Dumbledore..."

"Professor or Headmaster please."

Giles nodded his agreement with the correction. It is only proper to call someone by the title they have presumably earned, and someone of this apparent advanced age "Professor Dumbledore there is no one by the name of Potter associated with any aspect of our organization. As for the name of melody. There is a young Japanese girl who bears that name."

"The spell targets blood relatives right? Well I think I know who your looking for." All eye's turned towards the Slayer.

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AN: Evil to leave it at another cliffy. But the next chapter should be up next week sometime.

Note: This chapter only catches FFN up with TTH. Last week when I tried to post FFN wouldn't take my Doc Loading.


	17. Buffy Potter?

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing. The Buffy and Harry Potter Characters belong to Whedon and Rowling respectively. No money is being made from this. It's all for fun.

**Postings:** Fanfiction and Twisting the Hellmouth. You can post it wherever. Just let me know so I can come and visit sometime.

Character Notes and Time line are listed in first three chapters.

**Lost Potter**

**Chapter Fifteen:**

**Buffy Potter?**

**THANK ALL OF YOU FOR REVIEWING! **

**We broke 100 Reviews on both FFN TTH.**

**Thank you so much.**

"Dear girl just how would you know this?" Giles inquired of Buffy.

"I've known it for years Giles. I just never knew that she was from another dimension. Everyone except Dawn was looking at Buffy as if she'd sprouted a horn in the middle of her forehead. She surreptitiously checked that she hadn't by using her hand to casually brush her hair.

"Guys why are you giving me all the strange looks?"

Faith found her voice first. "Uh It's just surprising B. How do you know where this chick is?"

Buffy looked a little saddened. "She's buried in LA."

"Mrs. Summers are you telling me that Melody Potter is no longer among the living?" Dumbledore inquired.

Buffy was looking more uncomfortable by the second so Dawn decided to get involved. "Please don't pick at her. Melody is a bit of a sore subject between us. I can tell you a few things."

Absentmindedly Buffy moved over and sat down between Dawn, Xander and patted her shoulder. "No Dawn it's alright. Melody died after childbirth years ago. It's sad, but her passing doesn't really make me sad." Buffy looked smug at the quizzical looks her friends were giving her. "It's not like she was ever really a mother to me."

The only sound that could be heard in Giles office was the dropped jaws hitting the floor.

"Buffy ah Joyce uh Huh?"

Buffy smiled at Xander's confusion. "Joyce is and always has been my mother. Melody was simply my biological mother. Why do you think I dyed my hair blond all of these years? It was so I could look more like my mom, at least when she was closer to my age."

"B you saying that Joyce...?"

"Mom has ALWAYS been my MOM. No one will ever say differently." The metaphorical daggers that were coming from Buffy's eyes convinced all those present that this is an extremely touchy subject.

"Dear Buffy I'm sure no one disputes that. This is simply such a surprise. How do you know that Melody gave birth to you? I never saw any records even implying this when you became my charge. When did you become aware of this, err...?" Giles was being careful to only allude to becoming her Watcher.

Buffy was visibly uncomfortable. She rubbed at her eyes. "I've known for years. Mom essentially adopted me. She had a baby that had died overnight from SIDS at the hospital. They couldn't revive her. Melody had died giving birth to me. Hank pulled some sort of shady deal getting the birth certificates switched. That's why there's no paper trail about my adoption."

"Why didn't you tell anyone?" Willow asked looking puzzled.

"What's to tell? I found out by overhearing a conversation between mom and Hank. This was back when I was about eight to ten years old. I talked to mom about it and she told me what had happened. She left out that Melody has died bringing me into the world, but not much else. After she threw me out of the house I started looking for someone else to stay with. I did some digging and found out THAT little tidbit."

"Why didn't you look before? Surely you wanted to find out about your parents?" Xander realized he'd put not one but or even two feet into his mouth. Apparently he'd borrowed one of Willows as well. When Dawn reached over and socked him hard in the arm.

"Mom is mom. You better apologize to her right now."

"I'm sorry Buff. You know me. My mouth leads the way and my brain rarely catches up." Xander looked contrite and gave both the Summers girls his puppy dog look.

Buffy sniffled a little bit. "Ok apparently the Mom is mom bit isn't clear enough. My mother is the woman who raised me. Taught me everything I needed to know. How to ride a bike, how to blow dandelions everything that I am, is due to her. Everything thing else is simply biology. I admit to being curious from time to time. But I would never hurt Mom in any way."

Dawn saw that Buffy was close to breaking down. This whole conversation had to remind her of how much she missed mom. While she had never _said _anything about it, She was almost 100 percent sure that when Buffy was in Heaven she had been with mom. The little hesitations and evasions about certain subjects had convinced her at least. She wrapped an arm around Buffy and motioned for her to get up. "I'm putting my foot down. This is very hard for Buffy or me to talk about. All of us have had busy days and this is just too much to deal with right now. Let's sleep on it and get back to things tomorrow."

"Very well Dawn, I can see that is an emotional subject and I agree that we should reconvene later. Professor Dumbledore perhaps we should make some sort of arrangement so we can handle this information tomorrow?"

Buffy and Dawn got up and left Giles office.

"Indeed Mr. Giles I think we can come to a mutually satisfying arrangement. Now Mrs. Rosenberg could you please..." The voices trailed off as they moved away from the door.

XXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXXX

AN: Don't say that Buffy's attitude towards Joyce is unrealistic. IMO it's totally realistic. I hate those Springer/Oprah shows/stories where someone HAD to find there missing parents. I totally agree with B's attitude completely.


	18. Dumbledore's Plan

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing. The Buffy and Harry Potter Characters belong to Whedon and Rowling respectively. No money is being made from this. It's all for fun.

**Postings:** Fanfiction and Twisting the Hellmouth. You can post it wherever. Just let me know so I can come and visit sometime.

Character Notes and Time line are listed in first three chapters.

WARNING: Minor DH spoilers in later chapters.

**Lost Potter**

**Chapter Seventeen:**

**Dumbledore's Plan**

-Dumbledore's Apartment-

"This has been a most unusual night," He mused as he sat in the armchair with its back towards the balcony.

'What have I always said? Eternal Vigilance." Moody quoted himself from the couch.

"I'll show you eternal vigilance." Snape muttered as he reached for his wand. forgetting that he was wounded as he grunted in pain.

Dumbledore was not pleased. "Gentlemen please restrain your bickering. Tonight has been unusually informative and confounding. I certainly don't want the lot of you making things more difficult. Severus could you please give me your professional interpretation of the events we witnessed, without undue rancor. I to admit to being discomfited by their actions and plan on seeking appropriate redress when it won't interfere with what needs to be done.

Snape visibly composed himself. Anyone that had spent time with him could tell he was not happy by any stretch of the imagination. "Other than being unusually physically instead of emotionally vicious teenage girls I found their defenses quite lacking. This Giles person was quite foolhardy in simply taking the word of someone he had never met before now. That little Weasley looking witch is a very major problem with the way she casually neutralized me."

Dumbledore knew it would cause more of a disturbance than he would want at this time so he left the embarrassing interaction with Mrs. Rosenberg out of the conversation. "I think your contempt for muggles is leading you to underestimate them. We both saw conclusive proof that they posses some form of magic. I would be willing to wager that we both had been subjected to various tracking and truth spells before we left. This is why I was so open with the questions Mr. Giles and his associates asked. I would go so far as to wager half the coming fiscal years budget that if we outright lied to any questions we would be found out. General truthfulness on the other hand would tend to not register as lies on any sort of permanent detection spell. No my main concern is _IF_ Mrs. Summers is the daughter of Melody Potter what should we do, if she is reluctant to go with us? We certainly can't afford to spend too much time convincing her."

"As you have already said, we should attempt to persuade her. But if she is still reluctant to accompany us, then we should simply take her with us. Harry is too important to all of our futures to leave him unguarded. If worst comes to worse I say we Imperious her if needed, regardless of the consequences." Moody snorted. "After all she nothing but a muggle, while He-who-should-not-be-named is wrong to torture or kill them, he is right in the fact that they have almost no standing legally in Wizarding law. Other means should be used first and should be effective, but the Imperious could and should be our last fall back position, but it should be an option that we have if all else fails."

"The law on Unforgivables doesn't allow for much room for interpretation. Not when the Ministry has been so difficult lately. Politically using an Unforgivable even against a muggle would be unsound, if all else fails it is a step I will reluctantly take. Persuasion Intimidation and finally Compulsion if all else fails, should be the steps that we take." Dumbledore leaned back in his armchair. "No at the moment I am most concerned with what sort of resistance we can expect from Mrs. Rosenberg at the least, she is a formidable witch and I caution you all not to underestimate her."

"If she is as dangerous as you say, then persuading Mrs. Summers would seem to be our only alternative."

"Alastor she is dangerous. But I don't think her power is overwhelming. Any plan we make will have to consider her interference. The unfortunate thing is that our magic simply isn't as dependable in this world as I would like."

Snape spat out venomously. "Then what do you suggest we do? If persuading the muggle chit doesn't work, then how do you plan to deal with that Weasley looking witch? In her own world on her home ground yet I don't think that even enmasse that we would escape unscathed."

Dumbledore was used to Severus attitude and it didn't fluster him at all. "Severus my plans rarely go amiss. But you are correct in saying that we would not go unscathed if we used conventional tactics." Dumbledore assumed his lecture mode. "Temporal magic is one of the most difficult and pardon the pun time consuming magic's to learn. It isn't as dependable as other methods, but if it works at all it will work as normal. Tell me Severus did you ever wonder how such a formidable device as a Time Turner came into the hands of Mrs. Granger?"

Snape could not figure where this seeming non-sequitur was going. "I had always assumed you had procured it from the Ministry for one of your pets. There is no other way that a _Student_ would have access to even a limited Time Turner. Most Wizards can go their entire lives and not see even one of them."

"You are correct in that I had procured it for Mrs. Granger. But you are incorrect in assuming that I had acquired it from the Ministry. Even the limited version she had the use of is extremely dangerous not to mention a powerful tool for investigation. Certainly something that would not be given to any sort of under aged witch or wizard. Not when many vastly more deserving individuals who are respected members of the wizarding community are denied even the simplest usage of such devices. The device that she was given was one of my earlier assays into the art."

Snape was chortling softly. "You turned little Mrs. Know it All into a guinea pig." You could almost see Snape visualizing it.

"Not quite. The Time Turner she possessed was as safe as I could make it. It would have shut itself off if she had been in any immediate danger. But in essence you are correct; I did use her as a test subject, in that I couldn't be absolutely certain that she wouldn't experience some side effects. This is why I made certain to closely monitor her condition. The experiential proofs that she provided allowed me to develop this much more capable device." Dumbledore casually took from his robes what at first glance looked to be an old fashioned pocket watch. With this we will be able to walk out of the meeting tomorrow morning with Mrs. Summers as our guest whether she wants to be or not. Now let us plan on how we can avoid any unpleasantries."


	19. Pending Confrontations

**Disclaimer**: I own nothing. The Buffy and Harry Potter Characters belong to Whedon and Rowling respectively. No money is being made from this. It's all for fun.

**Postings:** Fanfiction and Twisting the Hellmouth. You can post it wherever. Just let me know so I can come and visit sometime.

Note: TTH posting of this fic has been canceled for the foreseeable future.

Character Notes and Time line are listed in first three chapters.

**Lost Potter**

**Chapter Seventeen:**

**Pending Confrontations:**

Mid morning  
Slayer HQ  
Conference room.

Giles proudly watched the arrival of the youngsters. He would deny it if ever asked, but as far as he was concerned these people had become his family. One he would do anything to protect and nurture. Considering the hours the group kept, getting them all together and somewhat awake at this relatively early hour was remarkable itself. Willow looked as if she had been raised as a zombie. Giles subtly indicated that one of the servants could give Willow a bit of that slightly decaffeinated coffee concoction she liked instead of the normal decaff that was deriguer for meetings since no one wanted to be anywhere near a caffeine hyperactive Willow. Oddly enough Buffy looked to be the most awake, and yet the most stressed. He hoped that she had gotten some sleep.

"Is everyone awake? Surely meetings at 10 o' clock are late enough for us to start?" Giles got a wide assortment of looks that would have made most demon clans fall on their own swords than face.

"Come on guys, let's not blame Giles, he's just being his British self. He should know better than to expect good moods out of anybody up at this god forsaken hour on a Saturday morning." Buffy's comment mollified the gathered Scoobies. "We have a lot to go over before we meet the Old Coot and Greasy."

Giles wanted to head Buffy off before she got on a roll of insulting the _guests_ from last night. "Please my dear, could you please not unnecessarily insult these gentlemen. They were out of line last night and they did apologize as you required. Let us not make unneeded trouble for ourselves. Headmaster Dumbledore is quite a powerful mage, certainly strong enough that it might be advantageous to cultivate him as a potential ally or at least to make him neutral to any potential future conflicts. There will be a third guest this morning, a Mr. Alastor Moody."

Xander had to bite down on his first impulse about a PMS joke considering he was surrounded by super powered women and his new girlfriend. After a crack like that he might have been lucky to get out of the room alive. On second thought considering what Willow might do... Maybe it would be better if I died here fast and without to MUCH pain. "Are you sure we should allow Mr. _Ahem_ Moody access to the deliberations? It's bad enough that Coot and Greasy have seen as much as they have. Should we expose our operation even more?"

Whew he didn't take the obviously suicidal joke that the name might entail, Giles mentally raised Xanders emotional maturity a couple of notches higher. He had to admit it does take considerable willpower to avoid. "The risk is minimal; none of them saw anything sensitive beyond the public areas other than my office. And even that is semi public. One more person isn't going to change things. Short of unsavory magic there was no way to eliminate the memories in question. So the security breach as such is already nebulously confirmed. It's only under continued observation that we might assess how much of a risk it is. One more person should not be a significantly greater risk. We will still out number Headmaster Dumbledore's party by a considerable margin. Admittedly they are all apparently magically adept but that is what Willow is for."

Willow was starting to look less and less like the living dead and more like herself in every moment after the Mocha-frappachino double latte had taken effect. Glancing down at her notes Willow began.

"Well we did gain some information on them last night. No outright lies that would have tripped the hidden signal in your office Giles. But detailed analysis of the traces showed a fair bit of evasion. So we can gather that they had a hidden agenda. To be fair though so did we. As to their magic, Faith and Kim's report on their little tussle seemed to indicate that they each reached for a hidden object before doing any sort of casting. They maybe hamstrung by needing to use some sort of focusing device. The weapon search they were subjected too before our interview turned up what looked suspiciously like wands. We left the possible wands in place since if they needed to use them the guards stationed outside your office would have been able to contain any problems before they escalated. This way we kept them calmer and more cooperative."

Turning her notes over Willow continued. "Personally I did a cursory magical assay while the Old Coot," Giles sighed at the adoption of his Slayers nickname. "was busy talking with you. He has a very powerful aura with a secondary aura located where later reports indicated his wand was located. The same can be said about Greasy."

Giles put his head in his hands. "The world is doomed." While Giles eyes were covered Dawn marked a big point in the air and pointed to Willow. "Giles. Giles it's not that bad. We do think that this is important, we just want to have some fun." Giles was content that once again his adopted children had under estimated him, and the contest between Willow and Xander would continue on with neither having a commanding lead. Maybe he should try to drag Buffy into it as well and have fun with all three of his original children. Please will you use Professor Greasy, I mean Snapes name? ARGH! Now you have me doing it. It's entirely your fault Buffy." Giles shook a finger at the oldest living Slayer.

Buffy simply put on an innocent act that butter wouldn't melt in her mouth. "Me I didn't do anything. I simply call em like I see em. And Professor Snapper is Greasy. Hasn't he ever heard about shampoo?" Buffy said in her best deadpan.

Valiantly strangling his mirth Giles attempted to soldier on. "Enough please let us continue on or we will never get this briefing done before going on to our meeting with the Headmaster. Willow will you please continue?"

Willow sobered almost instantly. "I'll have the Wards juiced up to priority status. But you know that will require use to reset them much earlier than normal. This will take an uncomfortably large amount of my personal power." Giles simply motioned for Willow to continue on. "Without any specific knowledge of their purpose I can only really concentrate on the Wards protecting us against hostile magic and transportation, since between the lot of us we should be able to handle two apparently normal humans. And if we have trouble one of Faiths close in weapon squads will be monitoring the meeting right outside the door and can come to our aid in seconds."

Xander leaned back in his chair. "Looks like we have all the bases covered that we reasonably can. Buffy when are you going to reveal to Giles that little bombshell present from the Queen?"

"Yeah come on B. Some of us are dying of curiosity."

_What could she have possibly have gotten from the Queen that would have Xander of all people say that it was a bombshell?_

"Let's wait on doing that until after the meeting." Buffy looked directly into Giles eyes and tried to project her earnestness. "I promise you it is good news. Shocking but good, so you needn't worry. I know that you will be pleased, but we don't need the disruption just before the upcoming meeting.

AN: The Confrontation will be next week unless something goes boom. I already have it thoroughly planned out, and will commence writing it tonight once I get other bunnies dealt with.


	20. Confrotation

Disclaimer: I own nothing. The Buffy and Harry Potter Characters belong to Whedon and Rowling respectively. No money is being made from this. It's all for fun.

Postings: Fanfiction and Twisting the Hellmouth. You can post it wherever. Just let me know so I can come and visit sometime.

Character Notes and Time line are listed in first three chapters.

**Lost Potter**

**Chapter Eighteen**

**Confrontation**

By SFBKludge

-Giles office-

The assembled Scoobies turned towards the door as the receptionist escorted in Dumbledore and his party composed of Snape and Moody. "Good morning Mr. Giles. Did you have a good breakfast so that we can deal with weighty matters unencumbered by the need of sustenance?"

Giles had risen from behind his desk, and walked over to lead the wizards to the neighboring meeting room. "I had an excellent breakfast thank you for inquiring Headmaster. I am truly sorry that our morning discussion won't be in my office. But the group is simply getting to be unmanageable for seating arrangements. The adjoining conference room would be more comfortable for the gathering I am hosting than my simple office."

"Quite alright Mr. Giles, I understand fully. There are simply limits on the number of people that can be accommodated in any office setting, no matter how large without things becoming rather cumbersome. You learn these things running a school"

Giles gestured for Dumbledore to be seated at one end of the conference table and waited for them to get comfortable before speaking." Let me re-introduce those present, including myself. I am Rupert Giles head of day to day operations the young ladies to my right are respectively Buffy and Dawn Summers who have only recently re-entered into our employment, Willow Rosenberg our resident witch. To my left is Xander Harris who is in charge of this building as well as many other duties and last but not least Faith..."

"Just Faith, I haven't told anyone my last name yet and I'm not about to do it now. Just so you know I'm in charge of security. So could you satisfy my paranoia itch and introduce your new friend."

"Of course Ms. Just-Faith-No-Last-Name, I am Albus Wulfric Dumbledore, Headmaster of Hogwarts school of Witchcraft and Wizardry. With me is Professor Severus Snape head of Slytherin House and a Potions Master beyond compare, who you met last night. Alastor Moody is one of my oldest friends and is in my humble opinion one of the greatest Aurors to ever live, before his honorably attained wounds forced his retirement. To preempt the inevitable question before you ask, an Auror is essentially a Policeman charged with protecting wizards and non magical folk against those who would abuse magic."

Willow smiled at Moody, "a very honorable profession. I wish we had had someone of similar inclination over the years."

Moody simply shrugged, off the praise. "It's who and what I am. I couldn't do anything else and still be me."

"Please forgive an old man but under any event my time is pressing. Now that we have the preliminary niceties out of the way could we endeavor to speed things along?" Dumbledore turned his gaze directly on Buffy giving her the full twinkle treatment. "Ms. Summers you indicated last night that there was more to the story of your claiming Melody Potter as your birth mother.

Buffy sighed and composed her face projecting an image of inscrutable calmness. "Mom told me after I had heard her and Hank arguing that I was adopted, that the woman who gave me birth was unable to care for me and had given me to mom to care for as her own." Buffed humped, "Well what else would you tell an eight year old. She had wanted to wait until I was old enough to understand the story and remember it being told to me. Hank didn't want me to be told anything about it. Over time I pieced together that the 'incredible Hank Summers' couldn't possibly have had any problems with his personal life. Sometimes I even wonder if he had ever really cared about us, or if the whole thing was a masquerade to enhance his career. I guess he finally made it when he could get rid of his useless wife and daughters traded in for a secretary only a few years older than I am."

Dawn leaned over from her chair and gave Buffy a quick one armed hug to remind her that she wasn't alone. "Anyway things kept on going on, until junior year when mom and I had that big fight. I felt betrayed after everything and acting on what little I had learned went to LA. I did some digging and found that the only other female birth at that time at the hospital was from a presumed British national who had been involved in an accident with her identification destroyed. Supposedly the accident had been too much and her baby girl had been delivered stillborn. That's when I gave up hope and settled into my depression until I was snapped out of it by Lilly." Buffy sniffed. "Over they years I did some little back tracking attempts simply to see if Dawn and I had had any more relatives out there. But I kept coming up blank; the only thing I had ever found was that she had worn a necklace with a musical note. The top of the note had the name Melody written on it."

Dumbledore frowned and rubbed his chin lost in thought. "I vaguely remember mention of such a necklace; by any chance do you posses it? I would like to see it again if I might, as I remember it was quite appealing."

Buffy shook her head. "No I only got a verbal description of it because one of the nurses that admitted her, but apparently didn't have anything to do with the birth was still around. It's just one of the things that stuck in her mind."

"A shame that, as I remember it was somewhat valuable but it was more a family keep sake than anything else, it was probably sold of to some disreputable character for only a pittance. I had, had a hope of potentially picking up some of the faint magical residues that might have been imprinted upon the necklace, giving me a chance to decipher how a witch of so little accomplishment and power as Melody possessed to have traversed the dimensional boundaries." Dumbledore tossed the thought away.

"Please don't take offense but we only have your unsupported word." Dumbledore raised his hand to quiet any objections. "I am not saying that you are lying. But the whole structure of your conjecture is built on rather circumstantial evidence. With your permission I would like to determine for myself via my magic's that you indeed a blood relative of Harry. Before you start to worry, I will cast the magic here directly in your line of sight. If one of you would assist me I will not even have to touch the drop of blood that would be needed from you personally."

Giles and Willow both frowned. "Blood Professor? I'm sure you know how reluctant we would be about allowing any sort of casting that involves blood of any type." Willow simply flashed back to Bambi.

"I assure you that there is no way that anyone could come to harm via this spell. The magic compares two drops of blood to see how closely related they are. It creates a small colored sphere, if I was comparing blood from the same person it would be a perfectly white color. The colors shift through the visible spectrum going to black showing how closely related the drops of blood are. It wasn't originally intended for the purpose I am planning. Normally it is used by Aurors in the field to identify suspects. But short of a prolonged comparison by the staff at St. Mungoes it is the only spell capable of being cast in the field with the sort of reliability and non unobtrusiveness in regards to wards as can be managed. A near relative such as child to parent is a very faint yellow with it gradually darkening in hue the further the blood relationship is from the drops being compared."

Willow nodded. "Sounds like a magical DNA test with a chromatic component instead of a graph."

"If I understood you correctly that is indeed the case. The spell is not foolproof, but it is highly accurate to a degree only the best forensics wizards can surpass." Alastor murmured agreement at Dumbledores description.

"Could we see a demonstration of this spell?" Giles Inquired as he glanced quickly at Willow.

"That is easily accomplished; I must warn you that the only connection between the three of us is friendship so the resulting sphere will be black. I would prefer to use a parchment or paper so we don't bleed upon this luxurious carpet."

"That is understood, and the paper is easily accomplished. Xander would you please?" Xander nodded and nipped out to grab some blank copier papers and put security on high alert before reentering the conference room.

"Here you go G-Man, Phyllis said to remind you, that you have a budget meeting in two hours so you had better get a leg on."

"Thank you Xander your reminder is most appreciated, I was hoping to conveniently forget the blasted thing but you've ruined that chance."

'Sorry Giles but you know Phyllis." Xander and Giles both knew that the conversation had been entirely in signs and countersigns.

Sighing, "Indeed I do, that woman can be insufferable. Professor can you now demonstrate the spell in question."

Severus do you have a penknife handy that I could borrow?" Thank you. I simply prick my finger and let a single drop of blood fall onto the paper. Severus will you please do likewise?" As Dumbledore handed the knife back. Noncommittally Snape followed the request since he knew Moody was too paranoid to even contemplate agreeing to the procedure.

Dumbledore slowly removed his wand circling it above the paper calling out, "Hemus Familias Cromatus." (AN: Simple nonsense) The blood droplets started faintly glowing and arose from the paper, merging into one and emitting a small flash with a black sphere hanging in the place of the merged blood, it slowly faded away after a few seconds. "As you can see Ms Summers there is no residue from the spell and it is completely harmless. Would you please now allow me to ascertain whether you are indeed a relative of Mr. Potters so we can go on from there?

"Xander can I..." Xander pulled a multi tool from his pocket and tossed it to Buffy, and she pricked her finger with the knife. And held it above one of the blank sheets of paper he had provided, got up and walked a few steps down the length of the table. "There you go, go ahead and cast your spell."

Dumbledore took out a small case from his robe, opened it up and took out what looked a good deal like a microscope slide. "If you would place this in proximity to your blood... Thank you my dear," as Buffy took the slide and put it onto the paper with her blood.

Dumbledore slowly circled his wand above the paper calling out, "Hemus Familias Cromatus." The blood droplets started faintly glowing and arose from the paper, merging into one and emitting a small flash with a yellow sphere hanging in the place of the merged blood, it slowly faded away after a few seconds.

"That is a most positive event, Ms Summers. You are indeed a relative of Mr. Potters. How quickly would you be able to gather together your possessions to accompany us to our dimension?"

Baffled looks spread among the faces of all the Scoobies. "Excuse me? I did that test to show that I wasn't lying, not to agree to go with you, to another dimension." Buffy turned around and walked back to sit next to Dawn, who then spoke. "Buffy is just going to pack up and leave on your say so, besides she's needed here desperately."

Dumbledore was quickly growing tired of having to deal with people that weren't nervous or at least a little in awe of him spoke more crossly than he had intended. "Mr. Giles you yourself have indicated that Ms. Summers has only started working for you again. Surely she could not be so vital to your organization? Harry is in constant danger, and I care about his welfare deeply."

"Be that as it may, While I am certain Buffy wouldn't mind learning more about a relative she has never met, I could not release her even if I so desired. Family is more than blood. Family is also choice, and by that choice Buffy is the daughter of my heart. Perhaps we can come to some sort of compromise agreeable to us all with Harry visiting here."

"Well said Mr. Giles. I apparently misspoke myself in my eagerness to resolve this situation, Pardon me I need to check the time," Dumbledore took out what appeared to be nothing more than a pocket watch, "after all we would most certainly want to avoid any unpleasantness. Dumbledore had opened the time turner and turned it on.

To be continued...

Sorry it's taken so long. But I've been extremely busy and couldn't even look at this story for some time. Let alone get the chapter to come out right. I've scrapped the whole thing multiple times and started fresh each time.


	21. Chapter 21

Disclaimer: I own nothing. The Buffy and Harry Potter Characters belong to Whedon and Rowling respectively. No money is being made from this. It's all for fun.

Postings: Fanfiction and Twisting the Hellmouth. You can post it wherever. Just let me know so I can come and visit sometime.

Character Notes and Time line are listed in first three chapters.

"_**Bold Italics" **_are spell castings.

**Lost Potter**

**Chapter Nineteen**

**Abduction**

**Giles office**

**Previously**

"Be that as it may, While I am certain Buffy wouldn't mind learning more about a relative she has never met, I could not release her even if I so desired. Family is more than blood. Family is also choice, and by that choice Buffy is the daughter of my heart. Perhaps we can come to some sort of compromise agreeable to us all with Harry visiting here."

"Well said Mr. Giles. I apparently misspoke myself in my eagerness to resolve this situation, Pardon me I need to check the time," Dumbledore took out what appeared to be nothing more than a pocket watch, "after all we would most certainly want to avoid any unpleasantness. Dumbledore had opened the time turner and turned it on.

Story continues-

Dumbledore Moody and Snape had worked out what actions they would take once the Time Turner had been activated to accelerate their time and slow the progress of time for observers. At the moment time was careening along a hundredfold faster than normal for the dimensionally misplaced trio. Even so they suspected they would only have a brief time to operate unhindered.

"Enfoldus"Snape cast, causing the chairs of the Scooby gang to entrap the persons sitting in each of them like a virtual mummy, then turned his wand onto the doorways and cast _**"Barrier"**_.

"Globulus Atmospheric Sphereus" Moody conjured a globe of solid air to float the chair Buffy had been trapped in out the nearest window.

"Accio Brooms" Dumbledore summoned the brooms that had been left nearby and they shattered the window leading into the conference room.

Buffy and Faith each were starting to shake the chair they had been imprisoned in. "They are starting to struggle," yelled Snape.

Dumbledore was amazed, even professional Quidditch players reactions would have only started to comprehend what were occurring, let alone start to react. He decided to concentrate on Buffy since she was central to his needs. **"Soporis Fumus, Strengthen"** Dumbledore had cast two major spells in short order one filled the solid air sphere with soporific fumes designed to calm an unruly kidnapped Buffy while ensuring that her bonds would be strong enough to resist even Hagrids tremendous strength, not that he was concerned even the slightest bit about Buffys escape. But by using stringent methods he could speed things along so things would run smoother, and not even the Time Turner he had developed could handle the strain of magic this temporal acceleration required for much longer.

Buffy was amazed at just how fast the old coot and his two Hench thugs were moving. The appearance of the fumes inside this little prison they had conjured up worried her a lot. The more Buffy struggled against the enfolding chair the more oxygen she would use and the more of this stuff she would inhale before busting loose. It didn't help that they had started the entire capture attempt just as she was starting to inhale.

Dumbledore had tossed the brooms to Moody and Snape. "We need to hurry, Alastor remember to tow her prison behind you while I race ahead and start opening the portal." With that the three wizards mounted up and proceeded to fly out the window as Moody used his wand as a tractor beam to pull Buffy's prison through the air.

As soon as they cleared the window Dumbledore accelerated away as fast as he could leaving everyone else outside the temporal manipulative effects of his Time Turner.

Faith was straining but only now was her strength overcoming the lack of leverage the enfolding chair had left her. Willow simply closed her eyes a moment and then opened them to show the world their inky blackened depths. _**"Release",**_ she commanded and all the bonds and the energy barrier which strengthen the door preventing the security team from entering were negated.

"Oh my dear girl" Giles started to break down and he suddenly clutched his chest. "Willow my heart," he had gotten out before the strain of the impending attack had driven him to the floor.

It broke Willows heart but she had to save Giles first, Buffy would never forgive her if anything happened to him. "I'm sorry Buffy, _**Teleport. **_Willow and Giles went to the same hospital that had treated him before.

-Short while later-

Buffy had long since passed out when she had realized that she was going to be kept hundreds of feet up in the air she decided to bide her time until another chance came to escape, not to mention that after The Tower she was still afraid of heights. On the way to Stonehenge Snape had cast a projected illusion below them to hide them from muggle observation since Moody was busy keeping Buffy in tow. Mundungous had joined them after it appeared that there wouldn't be any active pursuit at the time. Dumbledore had spent his time preparing the a more comfortable doorway home than the method he had used to reach this world since he already knew the way back instead of having to pathfind his way to a previously uncharted world.

Buffy awoke to a daze as she noticed herself drawing closer to a glowing doorway. "No I Don' wanna go." she tried to get out as the world exploded in brightness as she left it for what might be the very last time.

TBC.

Please Please Please hit the shiny Review Button

Or I'll be as sad as a side of Mutton.

AN: I know this has been waited on for some time. I hope it lives up to expectations. Before anyone asks there are a number of Very valid reasons why I used magic the way I did in this chapter, which you will see for yourself in future chapters.


	22. Grim Place

Disclaimer: I own nothing. The Buffy and Harry Potter Characters belong to Whedon and Rowling respectively. No money is being made from this. It's all for fun.

Postings: Fanfiction and Twisting the Hellmouth. You can post it wherever. Just let me know so I can come and visit sometime.  
Character Notes and Time line are listed in first three chapters.

_**Bold Italics**_ are spell castings.

**Lost Potter **

**Chapter Twenty **

**Grim Place**

(Correction)

-HP Universe-

It was a dark and stormy night, (AN1) when the glowing gateway erupted in the sky above Stonehenge, with three figures riding what looked to be broomsticks and another sitting in a chair encased in a bubble that the rain was sheeting off of.

"Headmaster we can't make it to Headquarters by broom in this storm. We have to go to Hogwarts." Snape bellowed to be heard above the thunder, which was starting to revive Buffy even with the persistent effects of the vapors Dumbledore had cast into her prison.

"Moody keep her chair airborne but drop the sphere. I'll use slide along Apparition to take her to Headquarters." As soon as the rain started hitting Buffy she had snapped to almost full consciousness from the blast of rain and storm force winds.

_Huh? What the hell is going on?_ Buffy hadn't looked down until this moment. "**Holy shit!** Get me down from here!" Buffy screamed after drunkenly looking over the chairs arm. At that moment Dumbledore took Buffy along with him as he _Apparated_ to Headquarters. The stomach turning sensation was too much when combined with everything else and Buffy had passed out again.

-Inside #12 Grimmauld Place-

This will require finesse. Any sort of brute force approach such as using _Imperio _won't work over the prolonged time I will need her compliant. I can't take to much time either she's incredibly strong willed with all the problems that entails. I had better cast my diagnostic and covering spells quickly before she awakens. Dumbledore started casting he didn't have much time left at all.

-Ministry of Magic-  
The aid approached the door and knocked respectfully. "Minister may I enter?"

"Come in Percy, do you have the report from our agent in Dumbledores little order?" Fudge was almost invisible buried behind all the parchments on his desk.

"We only have preliminary information; it will need to be confirmed by other sources before we can think of acting on it. Somehow Dumbledore claims to have located a Lost Potter relative. He went dimension traveling to secure Melody Potter's daughter, a Ms. Summers by report."

Fudge threw up his hands got up from the piles of parchment work on his desk and started pacing around. "What in Merlin's name is going through that senile fools mind, pulling somebody from another reality into this war? He's constantly thwarted every attempt I've made to gain control of the boy."

Percy saw that the Minister was in fine form tonight. This would probably take awhile.

-Buffy verse-

Dawn and Xander come crashing the doors leading into the emergency room, and run towards the admittance desk. "Rupert Giles was brought in with a heart attack, where is he?"

The admitting nurse had met the one eyed man a couple times when he brought some of his friends in for injuries. But she had never seen him look so frantic. I need to calm them down, or they will just get in the way. "Please calm down and take a deep breath. I won't be able to help you if you can't calm down. Just take a deep breath and hold it. That's right now exhale and take another deep breath hold it now exhale. See I bet your feeling calmer already. Now your friend came in with a heart attack right?"

Xander tried to project calm while inside he was a nervous wreck. "We think so. Things got kind of exciting at the meeting and he collapsed."

_Well Margaret looks like you still got the touch._ "Ok let me take a look. You said it was a Rupert Giles correct?" at their nods she had dismissed two other heart attacks that had come in earlier in the day, she put up a hand to forestall any outbursts. "It looks like I don't have much to go on, but in a way that's very good news. It means the doctors are busy taking care of him instead of passing on updates. I know that it seems bad from your perspective but it just means that they are busy and will get me the information as soon as they can."

Willow had heard Xanders voice and came around the corner from the waiting room ,trying to keep from breaking out in tears as she enveloped her childhood friend in a hug. "It's not good they had him in a room and moved him to emergency surgery. The nurse asked me to go back to the waiting room until they could tell us more. Nurse Ratchet said that I needed to fill out some paperwork." Willow turned her head to face Margaret.

"I have a few questions I need to ask before I can do much of anything. Are any of you related to Mr. Giles?"

Xander saw how much trouble Willow had holding on so he answered for the group. "Giles has no living relatives, Willow and I have paperwork filed here at the hospital; and can give consent for Giles as well as each other."

"It's hard waiting. But the doctors here are very good. The only Doctors I've ever seen that were any better stopped practicing many years ago when they got to old to hold a scalpel. He's in the best of care."

-Potter verse-  
-#12 Grimmauld Place-

Dumbledore was feeling pleased with himself, as he mused over his newest acquisition quietly. "Those spells should reduce any complications that she will provide. She is a remarkable subject, with strength and reflexes presumably caused by the mystical energy pulsing through her body."

"Oh what hit me, my head feels almost as bad as when I found out about Giles and mom." Buffy moaned before she opened her eyes, and raised her hand to the side of her head, and looked around. "Man is this place morbid."

Dumbledore started speaking as he moved into Buffy's line of sight. "Greetings my dear, you have had a rough time of it crossing the dimensional boundaries but you should soon be as good as new. I do appreciate your agreeing to help with the situation regarding Harry" Dumbledores eyes twinkled like mad as he tried to induce the compulsion he had laid on the recalcitrant girl as she slept. He couldn't risk _Legilimens_ until the spells he had cast had had a chance to settle into place. Otherwise he could undo all his work.

"Oh it's no problem, _I'm happy to do it. I can't believe that I agreed to come here after... Buffy's thoughts trailed off. Hold on_ _there, I didn't agree to help this old bastard. He's trying to trick me! Why did I even... I bet he's laid some sort of spell on me probably to get me to agree to what he wants without any complaining. I better play along until I get the lay of the land or Willow comes to get me. At which point I'm going to shove that wand of his so far up his ass that he'll be able to use it as a toothpick. _"Everything is such a blur, dimensional travel and Buffy are non mixy things."

Dumbledore twinkled as he held out some candy. "What an interesting turn of phrase would you like a Lemon drop?"

Buffy pulled a face "Eew, no I haven't been able to look a lemon in the face since the lemonade went kerflewy when that little troll Snyder made me mix it for parent teachers night."

Dumbledore fumed on the inside. _She should have taken a drop, it was one of the suggestions I gave her. Drat it must have been her innate dislike of lemons from some sort of silly muggle ritual that is complicating things. The minor charms on these drops would help make her more pliable. The charm making her feel protective of the boy had best hold or I will be most cross. If it comes down to it I will have to use the Imperius curse on her._ "Very well, would you like to meet Harry now?"

Buffy thought quickly. _I really don't won't to do anything this guys wants. But the kid is probably innocent; I better answer the old coot. _"I guess so if you think it's would be a good idea. So when do I meet the little rug rat?"

"He's down stairs in the kitchen with some of my associates, if you would like to clean up first?"

Buffy started panicking. "My hair what does my hair look like? Where's my purse. I need a comb."

"I'm afraid during the transit you lost your purse. The lavatory there has some toiletries that we keep for an occasional guest. You should find what you'll need until we can procure more permanent arrangements."

Buffy huffed. "If you say so, but there better be a good brush that I can use. It'll just be a few minutes." Buffy called over her shoulder as she moved towards the indicated.

Dumbledore was pleased over all with the way things are working. Now that she is under control my plans will move ahead smoothly.

A scream that could be heard throughout the house erupted from the closed door.

**_"My HAIR!!"_**

AN1: I simply had to use this, it's a classic and should be required in all fanfics. ;)

Once again I am sorry. But my times limited and frankly my muses not only wouldn't work on the story. If I even glanced at it they ran screaming out of the room. I knew what I wanted to do for this chapter but it would take a week to get even a single paragraph down. Nothing would work. Grrr. Next Chapter you will start seeing much more of the Potterverse.


End file.
